


Lux et Umbra

by ScarletEyes



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Background Logicality - Freeform, Betrayal, But mostly fluff, Character Death, Child Abuse, Cinderella Elements, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Genderfluid Character, Happy Ending, Hidden Pasts, Idea comes from a tumblr post, M/M, Magic, Okay this definitely isn’t a one shot fic anymore xD, Oops, Original Character(s), Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Prinxiety - Freeform, Rated teen for swearing, Shapeshifting, Tags might get updated later, Villain Deceit Sanders, Witchcraft is illegal, Witches, but I kinda made a whole au around it, didn’t think that would be an actual tag, for now, light vs dark, naive Roman, one shots, so they're all over the place, there’s a cat involved, this is gonna get a little dark, tried to keep tags as spoiler free as possible
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-03-05 22:24:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 64,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18837991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletEyes/pseuds/ScarletEyes
Summary: One shot series about the Sanders Sides in a fantasy au, you know the drill.Every girl in the village wants to get with Roman, and not that he isn’t flattered, but... it can get a bit annoying. Especially if people just see you as a prize to be won.So he comes up with a little game. The first person to get the key, to his front door, from his cat, gets the chance to marry him.Follow the cat hunt and the life that awaits Roman and the other sides, after the key has opened a new door towards a happy future.





	1. Alley cat

“Greetings wonderful citizens!” Roman began his speech. “And you nerds” he added after seeing the glasses clad couple that owned the library with small bake cafe in it. He was friends with them, he could say those kind of things. Even if the taller of the two did shoot him a annoyed look. 

“I have come to a decision concerning my future spouse.” Now reader, I know what you’re thinking. Who cares? Right? Is Roman royalty? Nope. Is he famous? Not outside the village he lives in. Then why announce something like that so publicly? 

Well ever since Roman arrived in this village, all the girls and maybe a few boys too had been falling for him, hard. They literally threw themselves in front of his feet. And although Roman was flattered... he was kind of sick of it. Roman was handsome, he knew that. He was drop dead gorgeous, thank you very much. But even the pretty ones could get tired of people constantly trying to date them. Especially if they had a secret that they were trying to keep secret... but more about that later. 

Roman’s dark red hair was waving in the wind as his brown eyes, with little gold specks that looked like stars in them, scanned the anticipating crowd in front of him. A golden key, that was hanging from a cord around his neck was glistening in the afternoon sun. The key reached to just above his bellybutton and stood out against his white button down shirt, of which the top few buttons were open exposing a little of his chest. His shirt was tucked into his tight pants, but still fit loosely as it was a bit oversized. A pair of black riding boots and a red cloak finished his look. A look Roman had worked on for a long time to make sure it was absolutely perfect.

By now all the women of around Roman’s age had made their way to the front of the crowd as they all impatiently waited to hear if they were the lucky one that got to marry Roman. And Roman was drinking up all the attention he could for as long as it would take. 

“Tomorrow I will send out my cat to roam the streets of this lovely town.” The crowd looked at Roman in a communal confusion. Roman always loved getting attention. He loved everyone hanging onto his lips. Sometimes he would even tell stories in the library... Roman should also probably continue with his speech now. “A handsome red tabby.” Some people had started taking notes, as they figured out that Roman wouldn’t just give away his hand in marriage for nothing. 

“He will be wearing this very key.” Roman continued, while holding up the key from his necklace. “The person who is able to get the key from my cat and uses it to open my front door, will find their future husband, that is me by the way, on the other side. 

And so it was done. After Roman’s announcement some girls ran to the pet store, some others to the carpenter’s, and a few let their father’s do those things for them. Roman could even see some guys in the mix, something he definitely wasn’t unpleased with. 

As the crowd had thinned out, and normal life resumed, Roman saw a young beggar pick some food items from the floor that people had dropped during Roman’s speech. His cloak was tattered and torn and his shoes were walked thin, but Roman guessed the boy was lucky to even have shoes.

“Really, Roman? Nerds?” Logan spoke up as he walked up to Roman with Patton. Roman had to tear his gaze away from the young beggar to face his friends. “Thereby this whole ridiculous plan of letting the townspeople fight for your hand by chasing around a feline, is preposterous. You have no idea who will win, or how far they will go to reach that goal.” 

“Relax bookworm, I’ve got everything under control! Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” Logan raised an eyebrow at that statement, but couldn’t comment on it as Patton had already decided to speak up.

“You have a cat! I didn’t even know you had one! When did you get it? Can I pet it? No wait, bad idea, very bad idea. I’m very allergic to cats.” Roman didn’t even had time to answer any of his friend’s questions before Patton gasped loudly. “Does this mean I can’t come over to your house anymore?” 

“Of course you can still come over, padre! I’ll make sure the handsome beast will be out, before letting you in!” Roman’s face twitched a little as he said that, but his friends didn’t seem to notice.

“Thank you Ro! You’re my hero! Get it? He-RO!” Patton said as bounced on the balls of his feet from excitement. 

“Yes Patton, we understood the play on words.” Logan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. 

“Oh Ro before you go home and lock yourself in waiting for the love of your life-“ 

“Or your love of this week, until you realize that you have nothing in common and winning a game of cat and mouse does not make someone eligible to become your future spouse.” 

“Logan, play nice!” “As I was saying, before you go, take this!” Patton handed Roman a bag of goodies from the bakery. “I’m sure you won’t have to stay inside for long, but... just in case I can’t let you starve!” 

“It’s what’s left over from yesterday and some fresh tuna sandwiches.” Logan stated as Patton handed the paper bag to Roman. 

“Thank you guys! What would I do without you.” Roman said before giving both a hug. 

“Starve, probably.” Logan got a hit behind the had from Patton for saying that, but the friends laughed it off, before saying their goodbyes as Patton and Logan went back to the library, their lunch break being over. 

Roman could feel eyes on him from somewhere on the square. He scanned his surrounding until his eyes got stuck on the beggar from before. That’s when he realized the eyes weren’t necessarily on him, but on the bag in his hands. He could almost see the boy debating whether to make a run for it, or to just retreat with the few scraps he had before law enforcement would show up. The boy quickly turned around, ready to sprint away when-

“Hey you! Wait!” The boy stopped in his tracks, clearly terrified as he started shaking heavily. 

“I... I didn’t do anything! I didn’t steal from the crowd! I promise! I only grabbed some things they left behind. But I can put them back! Please don’t get me arrested! I’ll do anything! Please!” 

“Here” was the only thing Roman said as he handed the boy, who upon closer inspection probably was closer to Roman’s age than he had previously thought, one of his tuna sandwiches. Damn he was tiny. Roman quickly wondered if the man in front of him had ever had a full meal. 

“Th- Thank you, sir!” The beggar turned around to walk away again, before remembering something. “Good luck with the whole finding a wife thing and stuff.” 

“No thank you, kind stranger!” The beggar nodded his head before heading into one of the alleyways. Just in time as the guard’s patrol reached the square. 

The next day Roman send his cat to roam around town. It didn’t take long for the first people to notice. The cat was smart enough to avoid stationary traps that used food to lure him in, frustrating quite a few girls who had all came up with ‘brilliant’ plans to catch the feline. At night the cat returned to Roman’s house, key still hanging proudly from his neck.

The second day of the cat hunt people tried to hide their traps, but the cat still managed to avoid them all. Again the cat returned to his owner’s house at the end of the day. 

The third day was when things started to get out of hand. Fathers had hired people to catch the cat for their daughters, so all they would have to do was to open the door with the key handed to them. But again the cat managed to avoid every threat of being caught. Until... 

He was almost at Roman’s house when a masked man managed to grab his tail. The man had slithered up behind him without making much noise and now painfully held the cat up by his tail. The cat wildly clawed into the air, but the man carefully held it far enough from his face. 

“Come on pretty kitty. You got a sssspare key for me?” The man hissed, bringing his arm closer to the key around the cat’s neck. This man couldn’t get the key! He was a creep! Probably wanted to sell it to whoever wanted it most. The cat scratched the man’s hand as soon as it was in his reach, and luck was on his side as the man dropped the cat in surprise. The animal got away, but not before getting a kick to his belly. 

After that little adventure the cat was a bit dazed. But he was almost home so there wouldn’t be a problem- suddenly a sharp pain shot through his right front paw, one that only got worse as he struggled to get away from whatever was stabbing his paw. 

“Woah. Easy there little boy.” A rough voice spoke up from the shadows of the nearby alleyway. A cloaked figure came into few and reached for the cat. This was it. This was the moment someone would get the key and... the figure reached for the cat’s paw, seemingly unfazed by the his hissing. 

“Easy, easy. I know it hurts, but I’m trying to help. Ow. Damn it.” The figure was bleeding now as he had injured himself on the barbed wire around the cat’s paw, but he didn’t stop and soon the cat was free. 

The cat ran home as soon as his wounded paw would allow him, but he was well aware that he had to go back outside tomorrow. And he wouldn’t be able to rely on his fast reflexes as much as he would like to. 

The next day was hell for the poor animal. After almost getting caught three more times before noon, he decided to hide out in an alley for a while. The cloaked figure from the day before was sleeping there, using his cloak as a blanket, to cover the dirty floor. From his worn out bag the smell of fish filled the cat’s nostrils. And since it was around noon, the cat was hungry. 

He managed to open the bag without much problems, but when he looked at it’s insides he stopped. What was he doing? He could go home and get something to eat tonight. This man seemed to have almost nothing, and still he wanted to steal... the smell of tuna coming from a soggy almost completely eaten tuna sandwich was really tempting, but this man had clearly been savoring it, so he shouldn’t-

“Hey there little guy. Didn’t expect to see you out here again so soon.” The man had woken up and was now talking to the cat, that still had his head in the man’s bag. He pulled out his head to look at the man guiltily, but still with suspicion, as he couldn’t let his guard down. “Your owner must be a real prick to let you get chased around like that! Especially now you’re wounded!” The man looked around for a second confusing the cat. He reached out and the cat jumped back, but the man only grabbed his bag before pulling out some old bandage.

“I know this probably isn’t the most hygienic thing, but I washed it before putting it in my bag I promise!” The man said, follow by a soft mumble of. “But you’re a cat so I doubt you’d care about that sort of thing.” 

The man reached out again, but this time the cat didn’t move away. He blinked at the human to show him that he trusted him and let the human bandage up his injured paw. 

“Here, now you’ll be able to run away from more crazy people trying to steal your cool accessory.” The man touched the key around the cat’s neck, but didn’t take it. It took a few seconds for the cat to realize that the man could’ve easily gotten the key there and he jumped back again. The landing back on his paws a lot more comfortable now his injury was bandage up. 

They stared at each other for a while. A beggar and a wealthy man’s cat. Maybe an unlikely friendship was forming. Maybe it was better if it didn’t. But here in this grim alley, neither creature seemed to care. 

“I doubt you were looking for medical supplies earlier, when you’re head was in my bag.” The man broke the silence. As he kinda had to because the cat obviously couldn’t talk. “You hungry?” 

The cat softly mewled as an answer, Before walking closer to the human again. Tail proud in the air, now walking with confidence, for the first time since he got caught yesterday. 

“Here you go.” The human scraped a finger past the edges of his sandwich, before smearing the tuna of on the outside of the paper bag the sandwich had been packed in. He laid the bag down so the cat could eat the tuna, and finished the rest of the sandwich himself. “You know, I think your owner gave this sandwich to me a few days ago. I’ve been savoring it. Can’t really remember a time that I actually had fresh food... well it’s not really fresh, but it was the first day. I really had to force myself not to eat everything at once so I would still have food for a few more days.” He sighed. “Living on the streets is rough. But you know that, huh, little guy? Still you have a roof above your head at night. Must be nice.” 

The cat stared to head bud the man’s hand, and the man took that as a sign to pet the cat. “I hope someone gets that key from you soon. So you can go back to the luxurious life I’m sure you had before all this.” The cat lifted his head, almost as if he was thinking about something, before walking away, back into the busy streets. Ready to be hunted down again. 

It became a routine. Around noon the cat would find his way into an alley, where the beggar was waiting for him. The beggar tried his best to treat the cat’s wounds and shared what little food he had with the animal. He talked and the cat, not being able to say anything back, just listened. The conversations could be about anything, but usually they had something to do with Roman, and the whole reason the beggar was taking care of the cat in the first place. 

One day when the beggar removed the bandage around the cat’s paw to check on the wounds underneath, he found that there was a little note wrapped inside the bandage. 

“Thank you, kind stranger  
\- Roman” 

“Maybe you don’t have such a terrible owner after all.” The man snorted as he looked at the little piece of paper in his hand. He held it close to his heart, before putting it away in a hidden pocket in his cloak. “How could he be terrible. Virgil, how could you be so stupid to think that. You just wanted him to be terrible so you had an excuse to hate him.” The cat on his lap slowly backed away, not sure how to feel about the man’s outburst. 

“No... that’s a lie. I don’t hate him... how could anyone hate Roman? Sure, he’s obnoxious, but... he’s also very kind. He’s one of the only people who has ever given me something, without having that look of pity in his eyes. Who gave me something out of the goodness of his heart. I could see it in his eyes you know. The way the gold swam around in brown irises. He’s a very kind person. He deserves to mary the best, but I doubt this little grab the key game will get him that. I’m so mad at him that he can’t see that! The idiot is risking your life and his own future, just because he wants some kind of fairytale lov- what are you doing?” 

The cat, who had by this time managed to fully get out of the man’s lap was heavily shaking his head, while clawing at his neck with one of his front paws. The action was almost a bit humanlike, as it looked as if he was trying to grab the string with the key. 

The key slid of the cat’s head and fell on the ground. The alley grew silent as the beggar didn’t know how to react to this. The cat grabbed the key in his mouth before bringing it to the man and putting it in his lap. The man grabbed the key and tried to put it back around the cat’s head, but the cat wouldn’t have it. 

“What are you doing? I can’t have this! Do you want me to find someone? I get that you’re sick of this game but. HEY! Where are you going?!” The cat sprinted away and the cloaked beggar had to hurriedly grab the little stuff he had before running after it. Through a labyrinth of alleyways they eventually arrived at Roman’s house, where the cat jumped through one of the windows, before it miraculously closed behind him. 

“Great.” The beggar mumbled to himself, before knocking on the door. 

“Uhm hello? Roman? Uh... your cat kinda lost the key and ran away before I could give it back to him. Don’t worry I don’t plan on marrying you. Can you just imagine the scandal if you out of all people decided to marry another man.” He chuckled awkwardly. “And just a poor, useless beggar too...” 

“Well if you got the key, just open the door and hand it back to me.” A melodious voice sounded from the other side of the door. 

“Doesn’t that mean that I would have to marry you?” The man asked. Shocked that Roman would let him open the door, instead of just opening a window so he could throw the key inside. 

“Only if you want to, Virgil.” That statement would have calmed the beggar down if it wouldn’t have been that there was no way that Roman would know his name.

“How do you...?” He stammered out.

“You talk to yourself a lot... it’s kinda cute actually, but you do say a lot of mean and untrue things about yourself.” That still didn’t make sense. When had Roman ever been close enough that he could hear Virgil talking to himself?

“I don’t understand.” 

“I will explain everything. But only if you open the door.” 

Hesitantly Virgil turned the key in the lock. He was totally prepared for rejection as soon as he had handed the key over, only to find out there was nobody in the actual room. The only other living creature except him was the cat. 

As soon as the door closed behind Virgil the cat started to glow. The light got so bright that Virgil couldn’t look directly at it anymore and in that moment he was sure he would die right there. Surviving years on the streets only to die inside a house. 

Soft touches of fingertips on his upper arms broke Virgil out of his panicked state. 

“Virgil?” Roman spoke, and Virgil opened his eyes to look at Roman, standing very close to him. Roman’s eyes slowly turning from yellow cat eyes to his normal brown eyes, little bits of yellow staying behind to form golden stars. “Virgil, you cared for me when others were just interested in winning a prize. Not once have you tried to grab the key and even when it was handed to you, your first reaction was to return it.” 

Virgil stepped back as reality started to kick in. Holy shit! Roman was the cat all along! Roman has magic. Roman was a witch. A Lux witch, judging from the bright light coming from his magic. Virgil shouldn’t be here! He’s in danger! People who use their magic to fool others are bad ...is he though? Roman never hurt Virgil... He had never hurt the town or used magic on them before, for as far as Virgil knew. Oh shit he started talking again!

“And even though you deeply cared for me as evident in our many one sided conversations, you still put your own chance of happiness aside, so I wouldn’t have to feel ashamed for having to marry you. But Virgil... I would never be ashamed to marry someone as wonderful, caring, sweet and absolutely gorgeous as you.” Virgil’s expression was unreadable as Roman continued with his speech turned love confession. 

“Virgil, you have passed my test. Will you give me your hand in marriage?” Hopeful eyes looked at the beggar, but Virgil couldn’t fulfill Roman’s wish... yet.

“Woah dude, like maybe? I don’t know. I barely know you! And you don’t know anything about me! And oh wait. You’re a fucking witch!” 

“Well... I don’t think anyone knows someone’s opened my door yet. So... we’ve got time.” Roman shrugged, a small smile playing at his lips that Virgil couldn’t help reciprocate. “How about a nice dinner date? I’m an excellent cook, you know.” 

“I’d like that, Witchy.” Virgil accepted Roman’s offer. Who knows, maybe something good will come from this. Virgil might even have a roof over his head tonight!

“Ooh a nickname, I like it. Makes me feel like royalty.”

“Whatever, Princey.” 

“I think I like that one even more.” Roman wiggled his eyebrows. “Does that mean I can be your prince charming now?”

“Hmm... maybe. We’ll see.”


	2. Meeting the famILY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton and Logan show up at Roman’s door.

“Roman, Ro?! You in there? You’ve been locked inside your house for a week now... we’ve brought some food!” Virgil could hear one of Roman’s friends through the door, and from the use of the word ‘we’ he guessed they weren’t alone. 

Roman himself however didn’t hear his friends. He was fast asleep next to Virgil, still snoring softly. That’s when Virgil realized something. He had slept in the same bed as Roman! After just living in his house for a few days. And only because Roman wouldn’t let him live on the streets again after they’d had their first date. How had this happened?! If Virgil was a bit more awake he would probably remember, but right now as he moved to sit on top of the covers, he was just happy to see that he was still wearing his clothes, which meant that nothing frisky had happened last night. 

“Psst, Princey.” Virgil hissed in Roman’s face while poking at his cheek with his pointer finger. “Wake up, idiot.” 

Roman groaned a little and made a face at the foreign touch, but didn’t wake up. Of course... Virgil huffed. It’s not like he could make a lot of noise to wake Roman up, or even worse, open the door for Roman’s friends himself. Roman’s friends would obviously have questions and Virgil was not ready to answer them. He didn’t even know how much they knew. Did they know that Roman was the cat all along? Are they Lux too or just human. Virgil doubted they would be Umbra, but if they were that could only mean trouble. 

“Roman, open up the door. You can’t possibly stay inside forever. We require to converse with you about your feline.” The other friend spoke up. 

Welp, that probably meant they didn’t know that Roman was the cat, so they probably weren’t witches, but that still didn’t mean that Virgil would just open the door for them and let Roman sleep. They didn’t even know who he was or why he was there! 

“Roman wake up!” Virgil whisper shouted at the still unconscious man in front of him, but Roman remained stuck in the land of unconscious dreaming.

Virgil decided to switch tactics and walked over to the window. He carefully pulled back a bit of the curtains so the light would fall on Roman’s face. While holding his heart, hoping that Roman’s friends wouldn’t walk over to the back of his house right now. 

“Come on... I thought Lux were supposed to get their energy from sunlight!” Virgil was getting frustrated now. “But it’s never that easy now is it?!” He whispered to himself. 

Shadows filled the room again as the window was obscured by fabric once more and Virgil finally realized why he had been sleeping in Roman’s bed as he noticed the library book still laying on the bed. Roman had tried to teach Virgil about Witches and their history, or well... Lux and their history, everything he had read to Virgil came from the point of view of a Lux. A witch of light. At some point during Roman’s endless spiel about dark and light and evil and good, Virgil must have dosed off. And Roman, ever the romantic, must have seen that as a sign that Virgil was finally getting comfortable with him. 

Virgil walked back to the bed and, as a last resort, grabbed the pillow he had been sleeping on. He held the pillow up in the air, before bringing it down on Roman’s face, hard. “Wake up, stupid head!” 

Roman jolted awake with a shocked gasp, before taking in how Virgil had just called him. 

“Really? That’s the best you’ve got?” Roman groaned as he started to wake up and tried to guard his face from the pillow that came down towards it again. “Just let me sleep, beggar boy.” Roman was about to turn around and go back to sleep when he heard noises coming from outside. 

“Roman if you don’t open the door or respond to us right now I will use my authority as a friend to force this door open to check on you!” Patton called out with his well known ‘dad voice’. 

“Shit he WILL actually do that...” Roman mumbled mostly to himself as he jumped out of bed, almost punching Virgil’s jaw. 

“Well open the door, idiot!” Virgil hissed at him.

“That’s not nice to say to the love of your life!” Roman almost sang as he put on a thin cloak to protect himself from the morning chill. 

“Stay out of bed, but keep dreaming, Princey.” Virgil smirked as he saw Roman blush slightly. Maybe he actually started to like Roman back, but he wasn’t going to give in that easily. 

“Whatever you say shadowling.” Roman said when he found the words, that maybe could make the ex beggar blush as well. He walked out of his bedroom to answer the door, before seeing his reaction, though. Missing how Virgil tensed at the nickname. 

“Pat, Lo! It’s so great to see you! Why are you here exactly?” 

“We literally just told you through the door. We have brought consumptions, as you have been locked away in your house for a week and we assumed your cupboards to be near empty by now. We are also hear to discuss some disheartening news about your feline.” 

“Really? What happened to my cat?” Roman said while already stuffing a piece of bread from Patton’s basket in his mouth. 

“Nobody has seen him the past few days! We’re afraid that he might have ran away or gotten injured.”

“Or killed.”

“Logan!”

“Excuses. Would saying that he might have passed away peacefully upset you less.”

“Oh don’t worry my cat is fine! He hasn’t been out the last few days”

“Why not-“

“Have you found somebody? Did someone open the door?!

“Yup. His name is Virgil and he’s just the cutest! He has the sweetest eyes you’ve ever seen and an adorable button nose dusted with dark freckles that stand out against his perfect skin.” He sighed at the memory of the first time he actually took the time to look at Virgil. “Can you come out and meet my friends sweetheart?”

“Don’t you dare call me that ever again or I’ll stab you.” Virgil said, trying to sound edgy, but Roman had already learned there was no malice behind the words. He thought. Hoped. He didn’t really want to get stabbed by his sweetheart. 

Virgil carefully walked out of the dark shadows of the bedroom, and when he did Logan and Patton weren’t quite sure of the description Roman had given actually met the person standing in front of them. 

Virgil’s pale skin stood out against his dark clothing like a lightning bolt in a pitch black night, the only pigment being the almost black freckles around his nose. His eyes were slightly hidden underneath a black fringe, they were a dark brown that almost looked purple when the light hit them. Virgil’s cloak was old and torn and the clothes underneath didn’t look any better, purple shirt and black jeans, both with holes in them. He didn’t wear shoes which made his pale feet contrast with the dark tiles of Roman’s house. 

“He’s the love of my life, I’m sure of it!” Roman was glowing, Virgil not so much.

“He got me to open his door under false pretenses and won’t let me live on my own on the streets anymore.” Patton and Logan looked at him in shock. Both men about to scold Roman, but Virgil continued before they could. “But I guess he’s a nice guy and he’s kinda good looking, so I guess it’s alright... or maybe that’s the Stockholm syndrome talking! just kidding. Whew is it awkward here or did I make it awkward?” 

“You’re absolutely... hilarious! Is it weird to say that I already love you?! Platonically of course. You’re going to fit in so well in our little group of friends.” Patton had a grin from ear to ear looking at his new dark strange friend with starry eyes.

“I don’t believe he was joking, Patton.” Logan said, not quite understanding Virgil’s sarcasm and Patton’s reaction to it. 

“Only half.” For a few seconds after Virgil said that everyone just looked at each other, a thick tension hanging in the air, but soon enough Virgil started laughing, the others quickly following his example. 

After chatting a while, Patton and Logan had to go back to the library. After the door closed behind them, Roman decided to ask Virgil something that had been bothering him. 

“You don’t really think about me like that, right? Like I’m some sort of evil witch who has kidnapped you.”

“Hey Roman. I know that as a witch you probably have had a lot of people distrust you. And to be honest I’m not sure if I can completely trust you yet. But I don’t think that you are something evil that would kidnap people, feeding them candy until they have enough fat to boil and eat. Which is a horrible way to prepare food by the way. If you boil anything but an egg you’re clearly insane, but that’s not the point.” The two shared a small smile. “Roman, I can’t just jump into a relationship with you. Those things take time to form and take energy and commitment from both sides. And don’t forget about people having actually feelings for each other. Let’s be friends first, okay? See where that leads us?”

“Yeah... deal! Roman agreed. “Oh and Virgil?” 

“Yeah, yeah I get it. I should get out of your house now you know that it will take a while to whoo me.”

“I was actually gonna ask... Would you officially be my roommate. The house would feel lonely if you left and I would just have to sit inside alone all day...” 

“You could just call off this whole competition and go outside again.” Virgil smirked playfully. 

“Just let me be nice to you for once!” 

“Hmm... nope. But I guess it’s nice to actually have a roof over my head at night. I might come back tonight.”

And he did. Every single night after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will probably be Roman explaining Witches to Virgil. 
> 
> I have a few one shots planned out, but if you have anything you really want to see in this universe, please let me know!


	3. History of Witches: DeLUXe edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman tries to get Virgil to read about witches and witchcraft, but Virgil won’t just simply accept what’s written.

“History of witches: DeLUXe edition” Virgil read the title of the book, Roman just dropped in his lap, out loud. “Please don’t make me read this.” He groaned as Roman was looking at him expectedly. Roman’s smile shortly fell, before picking the corners of his mouth back up. 

“You don’t have to, but... I want you to know more about witchcraft. I mean if we’re gonna be...” Roman doubted for a second, unsure of what to say, as Virgil clearly wasn’t thinking about a romantic relationship yet. “Together?”

“Why? You gonna turn me into a witch? Sell my soul to the devil?” Virgil said with a smirk, not looking up from the book in his lap. He had to admit, Lux sure knew how to make things pretty and fanciful.

“That’s exactly why!” Virgil’s horrified expression made Roman realize that didn’t come out the way he had planned it to. “No... NO! that’s not what I meant! Ugh! I meant your constant prejudice against witches. I want to help you get to know more about them. That way you won’t be afraid of me anymore.” There was an unreadable look on Virgil’s face, before his look turned to confusion.

“Who says I’m afraid of you?” He asked, unsure of how Roman had gotten that impression, while Virgil had literally been sassing Roman with every opportunity he had. 

“You didn’t want to marry me anymore after you knew.” Roman answered sheepishly, like that was the only reason. Seriously did love actually come that easily for Lux?

“I didn’t wanna marry you in the first place. WE. BARELY. KNOW. EACH OTHER!” Roman pouted at Virgil’s outburst. “Anyway I’m not reading this. I’d love to stay away as far from any sort of witch lore as possible.” 

Roman was disappointed for a second, before getting an idea. A mischievous gleam formed in his eyes, but poor Virgil wasn’t paying attention. “Okay, if you don’t want to read it. I will.” Roman grabbed the book, that Virgil didn’t want to read, but kept looking at curiously anyway, from Virgil’s lap.

“Go ahead. I won’t stop you.” Virgil huffed and clearly relaxed now that he no longer had to touch the witchmade book. 

“You give me your word on that.” Roman’s smile grew as it turned almost wicked.

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Virgil should probably be concerned about the way Roman was looking at him. But he was too glad that the book was gone to even notice it.

“Have you ever read a fairytale, Virgil?” The question brought Virgil back to reality, and finally he started to become suspicious. Unfortunately for him it was already too late

“Uh... why?” He asked as his body tensed again.

“Never give your word to any magical creature. They tend to trick you.” Roman opened the book in an over the top manner, before making a show of turning the first few pages.

“What do you mean? Roman, What’s that supposed to mean?” Virgil’s anxiety was starting to get the better of him. And then... Roman started reading... out loud.

“Chapter one: Lux et Umbra, that means light and shadow by the way.” Roman read, still with a big grin on his face.

“Oh shi-“ Virgil would swear, he had no problem continuing that word, but Roman quickly interrupted him like they were on a Disney Channel show. Not that Disney Channel actually existed in the time they lived in. 

“For many years people have tried to attain magical abilities.”

“Roman please stop!” 

“Hmm... nope.” Roman winked at Virgil. He actually winked! “Now where was I before getting so rudely interrupted. Oh yes! When doing so they have prayed to god for miracles, but when god didn’t answer their prayers, some decided to turn to the devil. The devil offered magical powers beyond believe to those willing to trade in their souls. Creating the first witches we now know as Umbra.” 

“Roman, I really don’t want to hear this.” Virgil tried to plead, but he already knew it would be useless. He really, really wasn’t in the mood for witch stuff... Why was he living with a witch again? Oh yeah right, he would be homeless otherwise. Oh and Roman was in love with him for some bizarre reason.

“To bad. I like reading things out loud.” Roman stuck out his tongue. This was getting ridiculous!

“Ugh” Virgil stood up and walked to one of the only few rooms in Roman’s house. It happened to be Roman’s bedroom, which was kinda awkward, but at least he didn’t have to listen to- and Roman was already sitting on his bed, basking in the glow of his magic. Teleportation... great.

“I know you’re the tiniest bit curious. Now come sit with me Stormcloud. I promise I won’t bite or turn you in a toad or anything.” Reluctantly Virgil moved to sit next to Roman on the bed. Arms crossed and a pout on his face, like a child who didn’t get their way. Throughout Roman’s reading his expression would change though. Because even if Virgil didn’t like the subject, Roman was an amazing storyteller. 

“The Umbra stayed hidden from society as people feared them for what they were willing to do. Who was to say that they wouldn’t sell other people’s souls to gain more power themselves, while also creating more witches, who also sought for more power and therefore created more witches who-”

“Yeah yeah, Witches created a pyramid scheme. I get it.” Virgil interrupted Roman’s storytelling once again.

“Not witches, Umbra!” Ouch touchy subject apparently.

“What’s the difference?” Virgil teased, but he was genuinely curious to see how Roman would distinguish the two different kinds of witches.

“Lux don’t do that!” Virgil could hardly call that a solid argument, so he pressed on... by teasing Roman even more.

“Oh I’m sorry. Do you guys sell potions and herbs on the side, to make it look like becoming a witch is a great business opportunity?” He asked sarcastically.

“Honestly why are you so skeptical about witches?” 

“I wonder.” Virgil raised his eyebrow towards Roman as if it was obvious, before raising his arms gesturing to the room they were in. A room filled with potions, herbs and barely touched spell-books. Clearly spells weren’t Roman’s strong point. The recipe books however were clearly used more regularly, explaining the many potions on his desk. 

“Anyway, God wasn’t happy with the developments. He didn’t mind that people who sought what they shouldn’t have, would sell their soul to obtain it. These people had strayed too far from Him anyway. He was however worried that they would start to hunt on the souls of the innocents. So He freed a young witch who was forced to give up their soul, by Umbra. The freed witch was filled with light to counter the Devil’s control. It made her the strongest witch alive, able to make the shadows disappear with her light and-“

“That doesn’t sound like God’s great hero to me.” Virgil interrupted Roman’s fairytale. Well, Virgil guessed it had to be partly true, but Roman clearly was an optimist to actually believe things would be so easy.

“How? She slowed down the rapid forming of new witches.” Roman thought Virgil would be glad to hear this. It was obvious Virgil disliked, probably even feared witchcraft. Shouldn’t he be glad that-

“By killing those dark witch thingies?” Virgil said while rolling around his wrist to show that he was trying to come up with the right word. Knowing him it was probably more ‘trying’ than actually trying.

“Umbra.” Roman huffed. Had Virgil really not listened to anything he had said?

“I don’t care.” Virgil said with a yawn, but not a yawn of boredom. It was starting to get late.

“And he didn’t kill them, he filled them with light!” Roman said as if that would be the greatest thing that could ever happen to someone, but Virgil wasn’t so sure about that.

“But aren’t shadows like the absence of light? Wouldn’t exposing those shadows to direct light like... kill them?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous! It just turned the Umbra into Lux, of course!”

“Of course...” Virgil still wasn’t convinced. 

“But Lux can’t do that anymore, because the Devil made it so the light would burn any Umbra, so they wouldn’t be able to get their soul back from him.” Roman continued his explanation that by now was way ahead of the story in the history book.

“You actually believe that shit?” Another yawn escaped Virgil as he readjusted himself a bit in the bed.

“It’s true! Look Virge, I know you didn’t grow up with this stuff, but you have to see it from my perspective!”

“No, I didn’t grow up with-“ Did Roman just indirectly say that he grew up a Witch while Lux didn’t recruit kids? “wait... how old were you when...”

“I was born Lux, that’s how it goes nowadays. All Lux are born from those first few who were turned before the Devil cursed Umbra to never be transformed by the light ever again.”

“Ro...” Virgil wanted to say so much at that moment, but the words got stuck on his tongue as he was unsure of how to bring this up and before he found a way to do so, Roman continued with his story. That for a while now was no longer him reading from the history book, but rather talking from stories he heard about the current witch community.

“Anyway! Currently the strongest witch is Remy, a far relative from that first Lux, but there’s an Umbra couple, the woman’s name is Veronica and the man... well nobody really knows his name, but most witches call him D, they want to restore things to how they were. They’re horrible. You should stay as far away as possible from them! They kidnap large groups of children to offer their young souls to the devil and then force them to work for them. They’re bad.” Roman yawned as darkness slowly started to fill the room. The sun setting outside and no candles lit to fill the room with light. It was getting late. They should probably go to sleep, but Roman wasn’t done reading yet. He picked up the book again and started to drone on about the origins of certain spells until he felt something heavy falling on his shoulder. He wanted to continue reading, happy that Virgil trusted him enough to put his head on his shoulder, until he heard soft snores coming from the human beside him. Great... he had bored his future husband to sleep. At least he got some sleep this way. It sure looks like he needs it.


	4. Veronica, D. and the Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let’s shift the focus of this story for a second. 
> 
> Meet Veronica, an Umbra witch doing everything a Lux would totally be against.

Veronica looked out over the camp. It wasn’t much, just a few wooden sheds and some tents. The camp had become a home though. A home were Veronica was one of the people in charge. She let some shadows float around her hand as she aimlessly drew figures into the air. It was quite... magical to see, that is if you enjoyed black magic. A Lux and most other people on this planet would probably describe it more as disgusting. Sure it took some offers to achieve control over the dark energy, but once you got it. You realize it’s all worth it. 

It had already gotten dark and the full moon was creeping closer and closer to its highest place in the sky. Their camp had grown a lot since they started collecting souls from villages all over the country. They currently held children starting with the age of four, turning them and training them to become strong witches themselves, but not too strong of course. 

The children were scared. The new ones were always scared. Veronica still remembered when she was ripped away from her home and parents. She had been so scared. She had cried every day before the ritual. She vaguely remembered times were she was so scared that she could barely tell up from down, completely stuck in her own mind, a mind that was constantly telling her that she was going to die. 

Now however she was one of the scary adults, the people in dark clothes that seemed to morph into the shadows and appeared out of nowhere... which didn’t only seem that way as Veronica now knew that was actually exactly what happened. Her new velvet black cloak fit comfortably on her shoulders as a cold wind brought her mind back to the raid they held in a small village last week. Seven new children. They had caught seven new children, seven new souls. Kind of ironic that they now had a holy number of unsold souls in their camp. Tonight that would change though. Tonight they would grow even stronger. Deceit was already setting up for the ritual, he had send Veronica out to fetch the children. She was better with kids, knew what children she had to be kind towards and what kids she had to steer in the right direction by playing on their fears. 

“Excuse me miss?” One of the braver kids asked when Veronica walked out of the shadows, revealing herself to the children, who were sitting huddled together under an overhanging roof. She gave the child an acknowledging smile, to let him know he could continue speaking. “We were wondering...” the kid looked around the small group for encouragement before continuing. “When are we gonna see our parents again... The yellow man told us they would come soon... what if they can’t find us? I’m scared they may be lost!”

“Are you the only child here harboring that fear?”

“I’m shore we all do, ma’am.” Veronica almost laughed at the joke the boy made. She never expected to have a child in the camp that actually wasn’t too scared to joke around. She wasn’t sure what that would mean for his future though. Deceit liked the scared ones that did everything he asked them too, and if they didn’t, he would make sure they would.

“A brave little sailor I see. I like that, won’t say it will do you any good in the future, but for now let’s just focus on reuniting you guys with your parents. How does that sound?”

“You know where they are?” A girl a bit older than the boy Veronica had been talking to asked hopefully.

“They arrived here a little while ago, that’s why D. asked me to fetch you.” Veronica said as cheerfully as she could muster. Let’s just say she preferred scaring the kids over giving them false hope. However D. had already lied to them about their parents’ whereabouts. Spoiler alert: they were very, very, very... not alive. 

And so the small group of children followed Veronica as if she was their mother duck and they were the ducklings. The boy from earlier happily chatting, telling the others everything was fine and asking Veronica all kinds of stuff, where they were, why they were taken from the village, who Veronica was. That last question hit a nerve and Veronica almost lashed out, but she couldn’t scare the kids into running away now. Not when the ritual was about to commence. Deceit would be so happy after it was done. They would grow stronger, there would be more witches under them, so their power would grow. Soon they would be able to get rid of every Lux on earth and... shit, okay maybe not EVERY Lux. Deceit didn’t have to know if there was still one roaming around somewhere that Veronica could drink coffee with. 

Veronica loved Deceit, especially after turning rituals. He was kinder then, would promise her the world, sometimes it would actually feel like he loved her. Their relationship had never been easy, but it had been better. There had been days he had taken her out into the meadows in the middle of the night, just to look at the stars. Or days were he would take her to plays so they could laugh about the actors’ over the top acting styles that nobody would believe were true, unlike the lies Deceit tells. There had even been days he had allowed her to be herself. Nowadays she believes the only reason he ever ‘loved’ her was to annoy Remy. But even so, she is happy with the life she lives and soon she would be even happier... and stronger. 

“There you are, you’ve brought the little angels?” Deceit asked, saying ‘angels’ in a sickening sweet voice.

“Yup, they’re all pretty excited to see their parents again.” Veronica answered mainly to catch Deceit up to the lie she told the kids. 

“Well let’s not keep them waiting any longer shall we. They’re waiting right in this room, just behind the curtain.” Deceit’s wicked grin would betray his bad intentions to most adults, but the poor kids were oblivious to his lies. All except one. 

“Miss? Are you sure our parents are in there?” The boy from earlier asked. His bright blue eyes, that would soon be ruined by shadows, shone with tears behind the boy’s glasses. He was scared, usually Veronica liked scared children, but this one broke her dark shriveled up heart. 

“Of course they are. Why would we lie to you, little boy?” Deceit answered as Veronica seemed to be frozen in place, for some reason not even sure if she could lie to the boy anymore. 

“I don’t hear anyone in there...” The boy was bouncing from his left to his right leg from the nerves he got from merely standing close to the lying man. 

“Don’t worry, kiddo.” Veronica finally managed to say past the lump in her throat. “Soon, everything will be okay again.” The reassuring smile she shot the kid would have earned her an Oscar, if those little golden statues actually existed here. People named Oscar did exist here of course, but I highly doubt Veronica would be happy if she got one of the camp’s cooks for her acting skills. 

Hesitantly the kid followed the others into the room. Deceit and Veronica shared a look before walking in as well and closing the door behind the curtain. It’s showtime. 

That night screams could be heard from the shed were the ritual took place, or the ‘soul shed’ as it had been dubbed. Children scared for their lives, realizing they were wrong to trust the people dressed in black. A pair of blue eyes that slowly filled up with swirling black lines to create a marble effect, the sight of which would probably hunt Veronica for years to come. She never once thought that what she was doing was wrong. Not when she used her powers to hurt her parents after they rejected her after she got kidnapped and turned. Not when Remy begged her to stop her endless search for more power. Not even during a single one of the many previous rituals in which many children got turned and lost their innocence. But now, seeing that little boy crack, she started to doubt. Not enough to stop, not enough to walk away from this life, but... there was doubt. And for the first time in a long while, Veronica felt scared.


	5. Truth be told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter in which a lot happens! 
> 
> From nightmares that can’t be real to some real truths that need to be told.

“Aaaaah!” Virgil screamed before shooting up into a sitting position on the bed. He’d had a nightmare. The first nightmare since he decided to sleep with Roman in his bed. Just sleeping! Nothing sexual (just yet), although the two had started to grow closer and Virgil would be lying to himself if he said that he hadn’t developed feelings for Roman after living together for two months. Still it was unsure just what they were at the moment. 

“Aah! what?!” Roman followed with a scream of his own. His magic immediately on alert, filling the room in a soft white light. The glow of which warmed Virgil’s skin in a slightly uncomfortable way. He still had to get used to living (dating?) with a Lux. 

“You can turn down the magic, Witchey. I just had a nightmare that’s all.” Virgil said pretending that he didn’t really mind the magic. But as soon as the glow disappeared, his body seemed to relax a little. Even though he was still breathing heavily from his nightmare. 

“Oh...” Roman was quick to dismiss his magic. He hated the way Virgil reacted to it every time he used his magic for something. Two months and Virgil was still scared of it for some reason. Roman’s heart sank at a sudden realization; what if Virgil’s nightmare was about him!

“Yeah so let’s just go back to sleep.” Not like Virgil could right now, but there was no reason for Roman to stay awake with him. 

“What was it about?” Roman asked as soon a both men were laying in bed again. Virgil looking at the ceiling, while Roman looked at Virgil. He was still convinced that Virgil was the love of his life, but he started to doubt if Virgil would ever feel the same way about him.

“Hmm?” Virgil hummed lost in thought.

“Your nightmare... it seemed to have scared you quite a bit.” As soon as the words left Roman’s lips he wished he could take them back, as Virgil immediately tensed up.

“It was about Nunya.” Virgil eventually answered carefully.

“Nunya?” Now this was something Roman had never heard of. Was it some sort of mythological creature that he should probably know, but doesn’t? Was it part of a story to frighten young children? Was it-

“Nunya business, Princey. Just go back to sleep.” Virgil yawned to accentuate the word sleep as he really didn’t feel like talking about this right now. He wasn’t even sure what to tell Roman. Could he just... tell him the truth? 

“Good one. Patton would like it. Well maybe not the harshness of it, but he really likes plays on words and... bad jokes in general. But you guys talked a lot today... so I guess you already knew that.” Roman chuckled awkwardly. Great... things were awkward now. 

“Y-yeah.” Virgil nodded. Closing his eyes to hopefully encourage Roman, who was still staring at his face, to go to sleep again.

“Hey Virge?” Virgil opened his eyes, a little annoyed and turned his gaze from the ceiling towards Roman. “You don’t have to tell me but... was... your nightmare... was it about me?” That was the moment Virgil saw the doubt in Roman’s eyes and part of his annoyance melted away. “Because I would never hurt you! And-” 

“Princey, relax. It wasn’t about you. I trust you... sorta. Enough to not be scared of you at least. No... the ni- it... it’s stupid.” Oh god. Virgil was actually considering telling Roman what his nightmare had been about... this could be the biggest, okay not the biggest but it’s certainly up there, mistake Virgil has ever made.

“Oh come on! Now you’re just gonna make me curious while you’re not planning on telling me what it was about!” Not the whiny voice! Virgil you’re not giving in to this! Virgil- 

“Okay fine... but just, promise not to laugh, okay? It’s really embarrassing...” Virgil had turned to lay on his side so the two could look at each other more easily.

“Okay. I won’t laugh... unless it’s like really funny!” Virgil raised his eyebrow at that. “What? I don’t like to lie to people.” Roman explained sheepishly. And yet everyone does it. Nobody is completely honest all of the time. Maybe Patton was, but that fluff ball must be an exception. 

“I dreamt...” Come on Virgil just say it fast and you’ll be done with it. “I dreamt that I was chased by a giant spider!” Roman started laughing as soon as he heard what Virgil’s nightmare had been about. “You told me you wouldn’t laugh asshole!” Virgil said as he grabbed one of the many pillows on Roman’s bed and hit him in the face with it.

“I’m sorry! It’s just, you have this whole dark and edgy persona and then you dream of something as mundane as getting chased by a spider!” Roman giggled and Virgil had to agree. It did sound kinda silly. 

“Oof, I know right? I’m not even afraid of spiders!” Virgil giggled too and the mood seemed to have shifted a bit, but that would be too good to be true.

“So you’re just gonna agree with me that your whole ‘master of darkness’ look is just an act you put up to look edgy and mysterious.” Roman teased and Virgil couldn’t help to tease back defensively.

“I AM edgy and mysterious! And don’t pretend your life isn’t one big giant act, Sir-witch-alot!” He shot back.

“Well at least I have a good reason to! I wouldn’t have to if humanity didn’t hate witches for no reason!” 

“They probably hate witches because humans like to keep their souls, but that’s just a guess.” Virgil hummed, his gaze going back to the ceiling and his body following so he was laying on his back again.

“It’s not fair! Witches don’t even take souls, they only sell them... okay that doesn’t sound good either, but like, the soul remains in the human body, it’s just some higher power owns it. That still sounds bad... But only Umbra do that! Lux shouldn’t be punished for what Umbra do.” 

“Didn’t your parents sell your soul the moment you were born?” Virgil said it before he could quite realize the impact those words could have on Roman. 

“What?! No! I was born Lux!” Roman almost screamed back, but it sounded like he was mainly saying it so he would keep believing it himself.

“Okay... but how does someone become Lux?” Virgil believed he already knew the answer, but asked Roman anyways. 

“Through blood. Family!” Roman couldn’t keep his calm anymore. His parents hadn’t lied to him! They wouldn’t have done that to him! How could someone...

“And you believe that? Your family totally sold your soul! You were probably just too young to remember it! And if that’s what they told you... well I’m sure there was some blood involved...” 

“Can we not talk about this in the middle of the night?!” Roman shot up, back into a sitting position, his breathing heavier as his rage came to a boiling point. 

“But you know it’s true right” Virgil asked, because well... there was no going back here anymore anyway. “Somewhere you must know that you can’t just be born with a soul belonging to someone else?” After hearing that Roman got up and walked to the living room, leaving Virgil alone in a bed that was quickly cooling down. 

“Roman? Where are you going?” Virgil asked sitting up in the bed to watch Roman go. 

“What do you know about it anyway!” Roman screamed back with tears in his eyes and a slightly wobbly voice. 

“Roman, come back! If you don’t want to be in the bed with me anymore I’ll take the couch, just-“

“I’m going out.”

“Ro.” A bright light shone from the living room and by now Virgil knew that meant either one of two thing. Roman had teleported away or he had turned into-

“Hissss” (rough translation: “leave me alone” more accurate translation: “fuck you!”) Roman had turned into a cat and jumped out of the window. 

Great... some weird feeling in Virgil’s chest told him that he had to go after him. It took him a few minutes to realize that feeling was love. That’s when he jumped out of the bed, grabbed his shoes a satchel and his cloak and ran outside. The cat already nowhere to be seen. Virgil looked up to the roofs separated from each other by narrow alleyways. This called for a different perspective. 

By this time Roman had found his way to his first destination. His best friend’s house. That that friend shared with his not so secret boyfriend, but for some reason people in this village weren’t really homophobic, so nobody really cared. It just wasn’t what most people were into, but it wasn’t seen as something bad like witchcraft was. 

“Roman? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Logan and Roman had known each other since they were three, and even though they were night and day from each other and argued constantly they had still grown up to be great friends. Still Roman had never told Logan that he was Lux, in fear of losing his best friend. 

“I need to check something, could you please let me into the library for a little while.” Please Logan, please do this thing for me without asking any questions for once! Roman pleaded in his head after he telling Logan why he was at his house in the middle of the night. 

“Roman.” Logan sighed. “Go to sleep. The library will be open to the public tomorrow at eight.” Well it wasn’t a question, but it still wasn’t what Roman wanted to hear. 

“Please Logan, I just... I need to know this... like now. Right now.” Roman brushed his hand through his hair out of nerves and frustration. 

“What is so important that you, out of all people, would read a book at four in the morning?” Logan knew Roman could handle that remark. He wouldn’t have made it if Roman couldn’t. Still Roman’s behavior was starting to worry him. 

“I’ll tell you... inside. Inside the library that is.” Before Logan could respond, the two heard something, or rather someone, stumble from inside the house.

“Lo, why are you out of bed? Who’s there? Roman?” Patton managed to get out in his half awake state. His questions were followed up by a soft and happy hum, that could be compared to a cat purring, when Logan put his arm around his waist to support him. Not like the hum actually sounded like a cat’s purr, but the action just had that same energy.

“You know what... you both should probably know this. Can we just go to the library now?” Roman was getting impatient. He also couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched for some reason. 

Roman hadn’t been planning on actually telling what was going on to his best friend... like ever, but now that he was, he might as well tell Patton too. Patton had arrived into the village a few years ago on a road trip, but in the short time he had been there, he had managed to leave quite the impression. Even the ever stoic Logan had managed to fall for the sweet smile and optimistic personality. He had confessed this to Patton, expecting to never see Patton again after he left the village, but Patton came back after his trip and quickly moved in with Logan. Roman and Patton had quickly become friends too and soon the three had become inseparable. So how could Roman not tell his best friend and his best friend’s boyfriend, who is also a good friend of Roman himself, that he was a witch, when a random stranger, that he happened to see as husband material, already knew it the day they officially introduced themselves to each other? 

“We’re going to the library?” Patton asked, rubbing his eyes before looking at the slightly blurry Logan next to him for an explanation.

“Yes” Roman clarified.

“Absolutely not.” Logan shot back. “Roman this is ridiculous.”

“No, it’s important. Please Logan!” Roman pleaded, which did more for Patton than it did for Logan if we were honest. 

“Come on Lolo! I wanna know what Roman has to say!” Now that was what did it. Logan could (almost) never say no to Patton.

“Fine. However this better be worth it, Roman.” Logan walked back inside to grab cloaks, shoes and Patton’s glasses, as he was already wearing his own. 

“It will be.” Roman muttered to himself, getting a worried glance from Patton who had heard him. 

When the three got into the library, Roman wasted no time running towards the ‘lore, witches and witchcraft’ section, leaving his friends behind at the entrance. 

“Roman, could you please tell us, what was so important that you had to wake us up in the middle of the night.”

“I’m Lux” was the only explanation Roman gave, before grabbing one of the less idealistic and more realistic books about Lux from one of the shelves. A type of book that he would normally avoid, but right now couldn’t wait to dig into. 

“You are what?” Logan asked confused, not completely following what Roman was going on about, as he generally didn’t care about superstition like witches. 

“You’re th- a witch!” Patton squeaked. Making Logan look at him, before he looked back at his best friend from the age of three, who had managed to keep this a secret from Logan for many years. 

“Yeah... but a good witch!” Roman defended himself against Patton’s shocked squeak “A witch of light... and all that bullshit.” That last bit was said with anger in his voice as reality finally fully dawned on the idealistic Roman. 

“What do you mean?” Logan asked, baffled by the situation he had found himself in.

“Virgil was right...” Roman wasn’t really paying attention to Logan and Patton enough to actually explain to them what he meant by that.

“He knew about this?” Patton asked confused. Why would Virgil know when they didn’t. They knew Roman way longer than Virgil!

“From the day he walked through my door.” Roman answered absentmindedly, not realizing he had slightly offended his friends, by not telling them first. “I can’t believe he was right!”

“About what, Roman?” Logan asked as his tired mind finally caught up to everything that had happened since he was woken up by loud knocking on his door earlier this morning. 

“You can’t be born Lux...” Roman said it as if he was a school boy that just realized that his crush didn’t like him back. Totally defeated.

“Well no...” Patton agreed with Roman. “Don’t witches have to sell their soul or something?”

“Patton, why do you know so much about witches?” Logan inquired, since it wasn’t often that Patton knew more about a topic than Logan himself. Not that Patton was dumb or something! Logan just knew a lot, about a lot of things, maybe not about social interaction with other humans, but he tried. 

“I like to read things too, Logan. Many fairytales warn you to not sell your soul.” Roman grimaced at Patton’s words, causing Patton to quickly try and take his words back. “Not that I would ever judge you for making that decision! Or well... you’re parents decision I guess... I’m mean there’s not much you can do about... you know... being a... you know.” 

“But you don’t have to be afraid of me! Just look at Virgil! He knew and he still stayed with me!” Now that his interest was no longer on the book in his hands, Roman really hoped he wouldn’t lose his friends over this. Especially not after his fight with Virgil earlier. He could end up losing all of his friends tonight. 

“I wonder what that says about Virgil...” Logan said to nobody in particular. 

“That I’m a huge idiot, okay?” Virgil spoke up out of nowhere. Apparently Logan had forgotten to lock the door in his tired state, he really isn’t a morning person after all, and Virgil had snuck in after finding them.

“VIRGIL!” Patton called out in that way that only Patton could. 

“Hey Patton, Logan. ...Roman.” Virgil greeted everyone in the room he had just snuck into, hearing that Roman had confessed to his friends that he was a witch. 

“We’ll leave you two alone for a second.” Patton had quickly realized that Roman and Virgil needed to talk things through 

“But, Patton?” Logan was oblivious to social cues as usual. That and he really wanted to know more about Roman being a witch. Could magic really exist on this planet? In this village?

“I’m sure I’ve got some jelly donuts left in the cafe!” Patton knew Logan’s Achilles heel was sweets, especially anything that had to do with jelly, so he knew Logan would give in.

“Fine...” Logan huffed, following Patton towards the cafe back at the front of the library. Leaving Roman and Virgil behind in the back. 

“So...” Virgil started, but fell quiet as he didn’t know what to say. 

“So...” Roman parroted, also not sure what to say. 

An uncomfortable silence followed as both men were just staring at each other for a moment.

“I brought you some shoes.” Virgil eventually said hesitantly, reaching in his satchel and pulling out a pair of Roman’s shoes. “Figured you needed them... as you never put them on before turning into a cat.”

“Thanks, for the shoes... and for noticing that too, I guess.” Roman was unnaturally shy at the moment, causing another uncomfortable silence to fall over the two. 

“Listen Ro... I’m sorry, okay? I-I was on edge from my nightmare and... I shouldn’t have said what I did.” Virgil broke the silence once he had finally figured out what to say and how to actually say it. 

“It’s true you know? You were right...” Roman said holding up the book in his hands for Virgil to see, a defeated look in his eyes. 

“Being right doesn’t excuse the fact that I upset you by saying it.” Virgil lowered the book by grabbing Roman’s wrist and pushing them down. The two standing incredibly close to each other now. If one of them decided to lean forward, they could easily kiss the other, but are they already that far into this relationship? Could Virgil trust Roman enough to actually call this a relationship at all? “Hey Roman, if I told you something... would you promise not to laugh?” 

“You already know my answer to that.” Roman chuckled dryly. 

“I think I’ve fallen for you.” In shock Roman dropped the book between them, luckily missing both of their feet, before he got some of his confidence back. 

“I knew you eventually would.” Roman said as he started to lean forward, with Virgil following his example. They kissed, soft and sweet. Holding each other close and eventually bumping their foreheads together afterwards to not lose the other’s touch. 

“Please don’t ruin the moment by telling me you put some kind of love spell on me.” Virgil half joked, before wrapping his arms around Roman’s neck.

“I wouldn’t even dream of doing something like that, storm cloud.” Roman followed Virgil’s example by wrapping his own arms around Virgil’s waist. “Besides, I’m terrible at spells.” Both men chuckled. 

They would kiss some more, staying in their current position, holding the other close. Later that night (morning) they would find Logan and Patton in the cafe, where they would have breakfast, while Roman explained what it was like to be a witch and promised Logan to tell him everything he wanted to know. But for now it was just Roman and Virgil between some bookshelves filled with books about witchcraft and witches, both Lux et Umbra.


	6. Anniversary fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just pure Prinxiety fluff. 
> 
> Is this what they call the peace before the storm? 
> 
> Question about the next chapter in the endnotes! Would appreciate if you would take the time to answer.

“What are you doing?” Virgil asked amused, but also very confused and concerned at his boyfriend’s antics. In the 6 months Virgil and Roman had been living together now, Virgil had seen a lot of failed spell casting, weird potion recipes and his boyfriend just generally doing weird stuff, that being a witch wasn’t an excuse for. However what was going on right now probably was one of the weirdest things he had ever seen. 

The living room had been decorated with an array of flowers, the furniture was shoved to the side to create an impromptu dance floor and a table was neatly decked in the kitchen, a single red rose in a little bottle, that Virgil immediately realized was a bottle usually used for potions and made a mental note of not to touch. In the middle of it all was Roman, dressed in some sort of prince outfit and precariously standing on a flying broom, to attach an already lit chandelier to the ceiling, that if he was better at spell casting would have probably appeared already attached to that ceiling, but he was definitely improving! 

“Are you trying to set your house on fire? Why don’t you use a stepladder like normal people would?!” Virgil hissed, only keeping his volume low so Roman wouldn’t fall.

“Oh Virgil, do you really still believe I’m normal?” Roman said without paying much attention to Virgil, too busy connecting the chandelier to a hook in the ceiling. He would do his princely pose, but again. He was trying to get this chandelier to stick up there. 

No, but seriously what is all this?” Virgil walked into the room, carefully closing the door behind him so nobody would see his floating boyfriend. 

“We’ve been together for six months now. I wanted to surprise you!” Roman said enthusiastically as the chandelier finally fell on the hook and was finally attached to the ceiling.

“No, we’ve been together for 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days.” Virgil deadpanned. “Please get down from there, you’re gonna fall.” 

“Our first date was six months ago. Just let me have this and I’ll do something even better for our actual anniversary. Thereby, good things happen in threes.” Roman chose to ignore Virgil’s comment. Choosing to Instead focus on the symbolism behind his actions. Something he hoped Virgil wouldn’t notice. Even if Virgil had remembered the exact amount of time since they had gotten together to the day. 

“I highly doubt this is a sign from God, Ro.” Virgil smirked as he saw Roman wobble on his broom for a second, before finding his balance and pretending Virgil hadn’t just found out his reason behind the chosen date.

“Hmm?” Roman made an uninterested sound, like he didn’t know why Virgil would say that. 

“If something tells you to do something three times it’s a sign from god, if it only tells you once or twice it’s the Devil trying to trick you. That’s how it goes right?” Virgil explained even though he was sure that Roman already knew that.

“I mean, yeah...” a cheeky smile formed on Roman’s face as he rubbed the back of his neck. Meanwhile Virgil cringed at Roman shifting his position. Couldn’t that man sit down on his broom like a normal witch would?!

“You totally planned this!” Virgil accused Roman as he eyed the distance between Roman and the ground.

“I’m a witch, what can I say.” Roman flew across the room and circled Virgil, surfing on his broom. Seriously this man was gonna give Virgil a heart attack... not that Virgil would show him that! If Roman wants to challenge him into showing he cares, then he can challenge him right back!

“Does that mean I get three anniversary parties? ...Or whatever this is.” He teased, blinking seductively.

“Do you want three anniversary parties? Because I can do that! “Roman stuttered out, not used to Virgil teasing him that way. “I just have to find the perfect date for the last one...”

“Six months, six weeks and six days from when we officially got together.” Hearing that made Roman fall off his broom, but in some miraculous way, as if by some kind of magic... which was probably the reason when you think about it, he landed on the couch he had previously shoved to the back of the room. 

“You heathen! I would never celebrate anything on such a date! I may be a witch, but I will stay far away from such devilish symbolism!” Roman shot up, now sitting on the couch, only a little confused as to how he actually got there. 

“Just messin’ with ya, Princey.” Virgil walked up to Roman and pulled him up from the couch so they were standing face to face. Close enough to kiss each other. “So, What’s your plan here?” He chuckled, seeing Roman’s flushing face.

Roman quickly got out of his daze, suddenly kissing Virgil on the tip of his nose. “First we wine, then we dine and we finish up with a magnificent ball in our very own living room.” 

“So... we get waisted, eat and dance, all while trying not to set the house on fire?” Virgil simplified Roman’s grand plans.

“Pretty much, but my explanation was waaaay more romantic!” Roman wrapped his arms arounds Virgil’s neck, trapping him in his safe embrace.

“You are a big sap.” Virgil chuckled while weakly punching Roman’s chest to get him to let him go... or maybe not, but he could pretend.

“But you like it.” Roman chuckled back, strengthening his grip around Virgil, trapping him even more.

“Yeah, I like you.” Virgil smiled as his chin was pressed over Roman’s shoulder.

“Would you go as far as to say that you love me?” 

“Let’s see how tonight works out, and maybe I’ll consider it.”

“You love me.” Roman teased happily, wiggling the both of them side to side. Before releasing his grip on his boyfriend.

“Maybe.” Roman would be upset with that answer if he didn’t see the pure adoration in Virgil’s dark brown, almost black with a hint of purple, eyes.

Roman left Virgil’s and his eyes behind, walked up to the table and grabbed a wine bottle and two glasses. “How about we start the wine part as soon as possible.”

“Okay, now it just sounds like you want to get me drunk.” Virgil raised an eyebrow, but still grabbed the wineglass Roman handed him.

Roman topped up Virgil’s glass before filling his own. “Are you opposed to that my fair maiden?” He said, swigging the liquid in his glass around.

“Try that nickname again when I’m a few glasses in. Then, maybe, I’ll like it. Or I’ll try to drunkenly punch you in your perfectly shaped jaw.” Virgil held his glass up for a toast, but Roman beat him too it. 

“To us! Both outsiders of society. A witch and an ex beggar!” 

“Ex makes it sound like I stopped.” Virgil said, his mouth just hovering over the ridge of his glass. 

“Does that mean I can make you beg me for something, beggar boy?” Roman asked seductively.

Virgil sipped on the wine in his glass. It had been a while since he’d had any high quality alcoholic beverage. “Maybe later tonight.” 

“Is that consent in case we...” Roman held up his already half empty wine glass. Virgil quickly wondered when he had drunk that much? “Get a little too tipsy to make serious decisions like this.” 

Virgil thought for a few seconds before nodding his head. “I do believe it is. Under one condition.” 

“That is?” Roman inquired eagerly. If he was completely honest here he hadn’t expected to even get this far.

“Whatever happens... No magic in the bedroom!” That was not something Roman was expecting. He hadn’t even thought of using magic in the bedroom... it could be interesting that’s for sure, but Virgil didn’t want it so he wouldn’t do it. Virgil was still getting used to witchcraft after all and even if he was getting more comfortable with Roman using magic for himself, Virgil still wouldn’t let him use magic close to him.

That didn’t mean Roman could tease Virgil with the idea, though. “Not even a little spark.” He asked, holding a hand up with about a centimeter space between the tip of his pointer finger and his thumb.

“No Princey. I’m serious about this. If you are drunk and excited and you start using magic, I’m out. What if something happens? What if someone gets hurt?” Virgil seemed to be really worried about this... Roman hoped there would be a day that Virgil could be fully relaxed around him, but for now he would take what he could get. That didn’t stop him from trying to reassure Virgil that whatever magic he would use would be safe. 

“But that wouldn’t happen! Besides my magic can’t hurt you, unless you’re Umbra, or I use an actual spell or something, but we both know that would be ridiculous!” Roman tried, but he knew he wouldn’t change Virgil’s mind on this, not yet at least. 

“Well... what if you hit something in a burst of magic and it falls and hits one of us in the head.” Virgil bit his lip. 

“Wow, you’re really good at this ‘what if’ game.” Roman poured himself and Virgil some more wine.

“Roman.” Virgil said as he immediately started swirling his wine around again.

“Okay okay! If my little worry wart doesn’t want it then I will make sure of it. No magic! I promise.” His eyes and smile soft. The teasing was over

“Hey Ro?” Virgil downed his glass of wine for some courage. 

“Yes Virge?” Roman followed Virgil’s example. 

“Mh I like you.” Virgil nuzzled his face into Roman’s chest. 

“Like you too, Virge.” Roman smiled, loving the moments that Virgil actually let his walls down. Moments especially for the two of them, that nobody else could see or Virgil would probably kill them. 

“Now how about we skip dinner and start dancing as we’re practically in position for that already anyway.”

“Whatever you say Stormcloud.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So I have 3 possible next chapters planned out. (No worries you’ll probably get all of them, this is just for what you want the next chapter to be) 
> 
> 1\. Prinxiety smut ;-)   
> 2\. Remy!  
> 3\. Blue eyed boy owo
> 
> Please vote in the comments!


	7. Liquid gold for stories untold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wanted it, I wrote it!
> 
> Here’s more Veronica!   
> Now I hear you say “but that wasn’t even an option to choose from?”   
> Don’t worry! There is another key character in this chapter!
> 
> Also Tags are updated! Most of these things won’t happen for a while, but be warned!

She walked into the bar feeling like something was off. Still it didn’t feel too threatening so she continued carefully. At the bar she ordered a hot chocolate. What? it was only the afternoon and she definitely wasn’t a big drinker. Just thinking of her last hangover made her sick to the stomach again. She sat down at the bar, scanning the room around her. 

She grabbed a coin from her satchel to pay with, but before she could put it on the bar her drink had already been placed in front of her. Tingles shot up her spine as she realized that Bill the barman would never trust her like that. When it came to Veronica it was always money first drink second, as she had snuck out without paying one too many times. Money could be tight sometimes and Veronica definitely knew how to live on a budget... mainly by just taking things without paying for them. 

Warily she smelled the liquid in her cup to see if it was poisoned. Working with D. meant there were lots of people who would love to see her dead. It would also explain why Bill would give her the drink so easily. However Veronica didn’t smell a slightly off smelling hot chocolate. No, the smell was one of liquid gold, a roasted aroma of pure perfection, made from a bean thousand times more expensive than cocoa. 

“Didn’t know you sold coffee.” She huffed dryly. Veronica let shadows fill the room in an investigative fashion. The walls, tables and chairs felt real enough, but the people... illusions. Each and every one of them. Light formed in such a way to trick the eye. A powerful spell cast by a powerful witch. For a split second Veronica actually believed she was in danger.

But danger wouldn’t give her coffee. 

The moment ‘Bill’ looked her in the eyes, bright green meeting a similar bright green, Veronica new she was safe. 

“Only to my most loyal customers.” ‘Bill’ said with a grin. The golden flakes in his eyes lighting up with glee. His statement actually making Veronica snort. 

“Pff me? Loyal to this place? Never. Only thing I’m loyal to is myself.” Veronica answered with a grin of her own. But her eyes didn’t light up in glee. Instead they showed some thin black lines, cracking open the green, like her facade cracked knowing she could trust the man in front of her.

“Okay babes. Then how about a change in atmosphere?” Remy flicked his hand up, already the soft glow of his magic could be seen, but he was holding back. Veronica appreciated that. She knew she had to be weary of the light after all, but to see that Remy kept that in mind too by not using his full power 

“Be my guest, Rem.” As soon as he had permission, the room filled itself with light. The illusions of people disappeared, but that wasn’t the only thing Remy did. Veronica felt her connection to the world outside of the bar being broken by a barrier of light stretching around the building. She wouldn’t be able to use the shadows to get out anymore if necessary, neither could she walk out the front door without getting burned. Remy had lured her into a trap.

“Not loyal to anything but yourself eh? What about D? Still kissing that slimy boi’s ass?” Remy’s tone remained playful as usual, but Veronica could feel the daggers underneath the surface. Friendly catching up time was over. This wasn’t brother and sister anymore. This was Lux VS Umbra. 

“If you need to know. I left the camp a long time ago.” Veronica answered through gritted teeth. 

“Oh puh-lease. Like I would believe that. I have to give him one thing sis, he’s made you a grandiose liar, but I’m not falling for this.” Veronica cringed at Remy’s words. She knew she was a good liar, you’d have to be when working with someone who’s name is literally Deceit! She wouldn’t show her discomfort though. 

“Then don’t. It’s true though.” She shrugged like she didn’t care if her brother would believe her or not. 

“Babe, girl, sweetheart, drink your hot bean water and listen to your big bro here.”

Veronica sighed “Rem, you’re 21 minutes older than me.”

“Exactly! And I matured a lot in that time.” Remy grabbed his own coffee and took a big gulp as if he needed to charge himself up for what he was about to say. “Anyway, my sources tell me there was an Umbra in this town.”

“Yeah, congrats you found her.” Veronica said sarcastically, clapping her hands in a mocking applause. “Now what are you really doing here?” 

“Can’t I just pay a little visit to my little sissit?” His comment earned him a raised eyebrow from the Umbra in front of him.

“You can do that without luring me in a trap.” Veronica answered taking a careful sip of her drink, taking a moment to focus on the taste and on the way Remy’s face fell. 

“So you noticed the barrier.” Remy’s confidence dropped for the first time since their conversation began. Sometimes he forgot that even if he’s very strong and skilled in magic himself, so is Veronica. And Veronica knows of both Lux and Umbra spells and rituals. 

“Of course I did! Now tell me what you’re doing here! You’re a top rank Lux, an Umbra living peacefully in a quiet little town isn’t your problem.” Veronica hissed at him. 

“No, but an Umbra following D’s orders, hunting for a Lux, is. And you just happen to match that description, babe.” Remy smirked sliding his ‘serious talk’ sunglasses from the top of his head onto the bridge of his nose.

“Wait what? What would Decee...” nope don’t slip up here and accidentally summon him Veronica, you never know who’s listening! “-D. want a Lux from this corner of the world for?” If D really wanted to use a Lux for whatever reason, he shouldn’t have to come here. There’s a reason Veronica had picked this little town to live in and that was that it was way out of Deceit’s normal hunting territory.

“Please girl, don’t play stupid with me. You know what he wants.” Remy was trying to press his little sister.

“Power.” She simply answered. Definitely not the answer that Remy suspected.

“What?” He asked confused as he saw Veronica’s it face spasm a bit as she was clearly thinking of an unpleasant memory. 

“I know he wants power... in any form possible.” Veronica eventually explained. She let her fingertips dance over her left cheek, revealing a two headed snake and some swirly lines, that looked like some sort of dark mist, branded onto her skin by dark magic. “He wants to have it and own it.” She was quiet for a second to let Remy get over the shock of her mutilated face. “But I have no idea what he would want a Lux for, as I got as far away from that fucking bastard as possible, after he made it clear that I was nothing more to him than his fucking property!” Veronica’s eyes turned dark for a second and the mark slowly faded, hidden away again by her own magic. Unfortunately one touch from Deceit or even his magic would immediately make the mark visible again, so he could easily check if she was his girl, his property. 

It was quiet for a while. Veronica carefully sipping her coffee, something that she in all honesty had missed a lot. Coming from a rich family meant Remy always had access to those kind of LUXury items. Veronica however had lost her chance of living that live after almost killing their parents. If Remy hadn’t been there to stop her, she would have succeeded. Remy never understood why she did what she had done after being forcefully turned into an Umbra. He would never understand it anyways. Veronica did hope he understood that she was telling him the truth. She hadn’t sought contact with Deceit for more than ten years! She had just wanted peace... but now it seemed that D. had slithered his way back into her life.

“So... what did D. actually want with the Lux in this town?” She eventually asked as she could no longer bear the silence. Her brother was never a quiet person after all.

Veronica’s question seemed to get Remy out of his head as he jumped on the chance to explain her what was going on, now that he was almost entirely confident that she didn’t know what was going on. “Okay sweetie, buckle up. So you know the Lux I’m talking about?” He said as he jumped up to sit on the bar. 

“Roman, hard to miss.” Veronica Answers almost to fast. “Never hides the magic in his eyes, mysterious sounds coming from his house, set up a game to find true love by having people hunt down his cat, which clearly was a shape-shifted form of himself, should I continue?”

“Oh yes please!” Remy giggled. “You seem to know awfully much of this Lux. You have a crush on him?” He raised his eyebrows so high that they appeared an inch above his glasses.

“What, no! Like I said, he doesn’t particularly hide the fact he’s a witch. Any other witch, whether Lux or Umbra would be able to see that!” Veronica said as here eyes shifted to literally any place in the bar, but Remy.

“Aww babes, you’re blushing!” Remy teased.

“S-Shut it!” Veronica stuttered as her cheeks lit up even brighter, the pink a sharp contrast to her pale skin.

“Okay so anywayz this Lux is like crazy powerful.” 

“Doesn’t seem like it to me. He’s just another broom flying idiot who grew up in Lux luxury.” 

“I’m just gonna pretend like you didn’t just say that to hurt my feelings.” Veronica playfully stuck out her tongue. 

“Why’s Roman so ‘crazy powerful’” she asked, seeing that Remy was terrible at concentrating on the thing he was trying to tell her. Not that she was making it easy for him.

“Pff I was getting to that!” Remy faked being annoyed. To be honest, he had missed being able to talk with his sister like this. But he should probably continue updating Veronica on the situation now instead of reminiscing what could have been. “Okay so that kid’s mother is Hecate!” He said enthusiastically and yet concerned. 

“Hecate?!” Veronica choked on her last sip of coffee. “The Hecate? Daughter of the titans Perses personification of distruction, summer draughts and fires and Asteria goddess of stars? Seen as goddess of magic and witchcraft? Hecate who created the first Lux to battle both the power of the Devil and that of God? That Hecate?!”

“Yes! That Hecate. So anyway as I was saying-“ But Remy didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as Veronica was already asking more questions.

“Wait! So if his mother was Hecate... does that mean that... was he actually born a witch? Like no ritual required?” 

“Exactamundo” 

“Lucky man.” a pain flashed in Veronica’s eyes as she thought back of the many rituals she had been a part of... willingly too. How could there have been a time when she enjoyed hearing those poor kids scream... that was... until that boy. She would later call him Blue, never bothered to learn his name or never feeling like she deserved to know who he was before the camp... who he could have been. 

“Ver-“ Remy asked, clearly worried at his sister’s change in posture.

“Hey man, it’s nothing. All of that stuff is in the past, right?” Veronica shrugged, relaxing on her barstool once more.

“I guess.” Remy mumbled, but he wasn’t convinced. Whatever had happened there had really hurt his little sister. 

“So basically you just wanted to see this extremely strong witch for yourself so you had to make up an excuse to get here?” Veronica said in a playful tone, She had never wished she was right more than in this moment. She wasn’t working for Deceit anymore, so D. didn’t have a henchman around this area. She hadn’t seen anyone she knew and Deceit would never send out someone he couldn’t trust. Deceit wouldn’t come to this city... if he hadn’t already... 

Images of a masked man sneaking around shadowy alleyways before pouncing on a red blob filled Veronica’s mind. But that’s impossible! Deceit wouldn’t leave the camp without sending someone out on patrol first, and Veronica hadn’t seen anybody. But what if it actually was Deceit?

“No.” Remy spoke with the authority he had previously lost from talking to someone as close to him as his sister. He grabbed his sunglasses from his head and tucked them into a pocket in his shirt. “My sources told me there’s an Umbra here. One working for D. And if that isn’t you then...”

“Then there’s another Umbra in town. One that is working for D. and might be dangerous.” Remy nodded and a chill made it’s way over Veronica’s spine. 

Veronica had a lot to think about. She had assumed she’d been safe from Deceit and the other witches from the camp. Had she been walking past one of them without noticing? Had they talked to each other. Was that man with a lisp that caught cat Roman by his tail actually Deceit, like she’d thought he was on first glance?

“I should probably get going now. Gonna scan the town for some dark roasted activity and probably pay our super Lux a little visit. It’s only fair he knows he’s being hunt down.” Remy put on his cloak and made the empty coffee cups disappear. “Coffee’s on the house.” 

“I wasn’t gonna pay anyway.” The twins chuckled before it was really time for Remy to go. The barrier dissolving as soon as he opened the door to the outside world.

“Stay on high alert sis! And if you’re really not working for D. anymore, then please do let me know if you see him slithering about. He still needs to pay for hurting my family.” 

“Hmph I’m always on high alert.” Veronica mumbled before she got off her stool. She should probably go home too. She wouldn’t want anyone to worry about her.


	8. Double trouble DeLUXe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman gets out-sassed. Oh and he also gets told some things that could change his life forever.

There was a knock on the door. Roman was laying in bed extending his beauty sleep, which meant that Virgil would have to open the door for whoever it was that had knocked. Over the time that they had spent together, the village had of course noticed that Virgil and Roman were a thing. You really can’t keep that sort of thing a secret if you were dating Roman. So it wouldn’t be a problem if Virgil opened the door instead of Roman, but that didn’t mean he liked doing it. The knock was different from Logan and Patton. It was unknown. A stranger. Virgil didn’t like strangers and strangers generally didn’t like Virgil. 

Virgil put the book he was reading down and hid it from view. Because although he’d never admit it, he was starting to read more into the witchcraft of Lux behind Roman’s back and had grabbed one of Roman’s spell books earlier. Not that they were of much use to him, but it definitely helped fight off the boredom that washed over him whenever Roman decided he needed to stay in bed until past noon and he didn’t feel like going out himself. 

Another knock on the door while Virgil had almost reached it made Virgil angry and he opened the door with a growl “What?!” Whatever he was expecting, it was not the person standing in front of him right now. 

“Hello there handsome, I’m looking for someone named Roman. Is this the right address?” The man, who had knocked, said in a flirty tone, that made Virgil feel a little uncomfortable. 

“Ro! There’s a weird, slightly glowing man at the door and he says he’s looking for you!” He shouts towards somewhere in the house, hoping Roman wasn’t sleeping too heavily. 

“Tell him I’m not home!” Roman shouted back from the bedroom. Both Virgil and the man pulled a face hearing Roman’s saying that he wasn’t there, while he obviously was. 

“That’s okay, sweetheart. I guess I’ll have to come back later then.” The man said, slightly lowering his sunglasses so he could make flirty eyes towards Virgil, showing Virgil his emerald green eyes with the same kind of golden specks in them as Roman’s. “Will you accompany me while I wait for your friend at the bar?”

“Ro! He’s flirting with me!” Virgil shouted again, now with a small smirk, knowing that Roman wouldn’t let that happen if he could do something about it.

“You’re doing what?! You can’t just flirt with my boyfriend... Wait who are you?” Roman had a feeling he should know this man from something... he’s not sure why though.

Virgil hadn’t been lying when he said this man was slightly glowing. The light glow a stark contrast with the dark clothes he was wearing and his black hair. Even his glasses were tinted black, hiding away his eyes. All the dark tones with the pale skin almost reminded Roman of his boyfriend who was awkwardly standing next to him. Clearly not sure what to think of the current situation. 

Even with the tinted glasses the stranger was wearing, Roman was sure this man was a Lux, and a powerful one too. The only thing he didn’t understand was... Why was someone like that looking for him? 

“Ah, I assume you’re Roman.” The man said with great confidence. He held his hand out, but when Roman went to shake it, he smacked Roman’s hand in an awkward high five. Roman’s shocked face made Virgil giggle, which must have been one of the most adorable sounds Roman had ever heard Virgil make. 

“The name’s Remy, I’m sure you’ve heard of me.” Remy said with his chin high, clearly showing that he felt like he was better than Roman in a lot of, if not all, ways. 

Roman could do nothing but nod his head, his mouth hanging slightly open in shock. Remy, the Remy, descendant of the first Lux Remy, one of the strongest witches on the planet Remy, was standing in front of him, looking for him. Uh oh... he wasn’t in trouble was he? He hadn’t done anything wrong, he thought...

“I think he has.” Virgil vocalized Roman’s shocked nodding. 

“Uh... yes.” Roman answered shakily when his mind caught up with the situation.

“Jeez this is like the first time I’ve ever seen you speechless.” Roman wondered how Virgil could stay so calm when there was someone so powerful and important standing right there, but he guessed Remy wasn’t as important to humans as he was to Lux.

“Anyway I’m here because there’s something I need to tell you. Is it okay if I come in.” Before anyone could answer Remy had already teleported himself inside. “Of course it is, I’m basically royalty to you guys.” 

“No you’re not.” Virgil stated, causing both Roman and Remy’s head to snap towards him. 

“Please forgive my boyfriend’s behavior, sir” Virgil glared at Roman for apologizing on his behalf. “He’s human and he refuses to learn any form of witch lore.” 

“Wise choice.” Remy chuckled, lifting some of the tension that was hanging in the room, like the chandelier at Virgil’s last anniversary party. 

“You uhm... were looking for me?” Roman asked hesitantly. Can he just address the Lux in front of him like that? Should he have waited to be spoken to? Roman really didn’t know how this worked. The man was basically royalty to his people! 

“Yeah, so my sources tell me there’s sorta an Umbra living in this town, looking for a certain Lux.” Okay, so he could address Remy like that! Awesome. Wait? Why would someone be looking for him. It’s probably another Lux they’re looking for... right?

“So? What’s that got to do with me?” Roman asked, hoping the answer would be ‘absolutely nothing’ or something like that. It probably wasn’t a good thing if an Umbra was looking for him.

“That Lux would be you, Roman, son of Hecate” Remy answered dryly, unaware of Roman’s internal monologue.

“You know my mom? What’s she got to do with all this?” If Roman was paying attention he would see Virgil rolling his eyes at his answer. Remy, however, did catch the motion and it definitely struck him as odd that mister ‘Don’t want to know anything about witches’ seemed to know more than Roman. It could just be a coincidence of course, maybe he was just reading things wrong. Maybe Virgil just thought his boyfriend was acting stupid... Remy wasn’t exactly good at reading people. Anyway it wasn’t important. How could Roman not know about his mom’s status?!

“You’ve got to be kidding me, right? You know who your mom is, but you have no idea... well... who she is?!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Roman was getting angry now. So what the Lux in front of him had status! He was being rude!

“Your mother is Hecate, mother of Lux, goddess of witchcraft” Remy explained as calm as physically possible for him... which wasn’t very calm to be honest.

Mother of Lux? She’s my mother!” Remy facepalmed and Virgil burst out in laughter at Roman’s indignant outburst. 

“Oh no, don’t tell me she actually told you the whole, god against the devil story.” Remy was honestly getting sick of how many Lux and even Umbra believed that story.

“I mean, yeah?” Roman answered. Not really sure what other story there would be. 

“Okay babes, I’ll give you the short version. God couldn’t care less for the people who seek to control magic. Hecate, however wanted revenge on the Devil from taking the underworld from Hades. Y’know Hades? King of the underworld? Greek mythology? So Hecate created the first Lux and all that to counter the Devil’s power over magic seeking humanity. Yada yada, bla bla bla, you were born from her powers, D is looking for you, basically hunting you down”

“Wait! Does that mean I was born Lux?” Roman asked enthusiastically, completely ignoring the part about being hunted down. 

“Yes! Why does everyone wants to know that?!” Remy said, he was clearly getting frustrated with how little Roman actually knew about his own life.

“Who else would want to know that?” Virgil asked. He had been quiet for most of the conversation, but this seemed like it was some valuable information. Remy didn’t seem to care enough about the cute human to answer him though. Or he didn’t want to answer him. 

“Yes! I was right! My parents didn’t lie to me! You hear that Virgil?” Roman was jumping from joy at finding out his parents hadn’t lied to him... about that part of his life that is.

“Yup... Uhm... Remy?” Virgil finally managed to get Remy’s attention. “What do you mean someone is hunting Roman down?” 

“Oh yeah that... you don’t mean like the D. right? That Umbra leader thingy?” Roman really wished it wasn’t D! 

“That’s the one.” Remy nodded thoughtfully as he put his glasses up in his hair. 

“Okay... uhm two questions. Why? And WHY?!” Roman started to freak out, while Virgil seemed to stay remarkably calm. He was freaking out, just more internally than Roman. 

“Well you may not use your power very much, or your brain for that matter, but you’re actually a pretty strong witch Roman, if properly trained you might have even been stronger than me by now, but you never had the proper training and it shows.” Remy looked straight (gay) into the other Lux’s eyes.

“Hey!” Roman said to show that he felt offended... but it didn’t have effect he planned for it to have.

“Hello.” Remy said dryly before continuing like he was never interrupted in the first place. “D. knows you’re still weak, but he also knows in the long run, you’re a threat. My best guess is that he wants to eliminate that threat.” 

“Okay so, basically a strong witch is out to kill me, because I’m the son of a fricking goddess, and I can only beat him if I train more.” Roman simplified Remy’s explaination, mainly to see if he understood it correctly. “And probably learn some more spells...” he added mumbling. 

“Yup. Listen I know this is some heavy infor-“ But Remy couldn’t finish his sentence before Roman interrupted him with an unusual question.

“When do we start?” He said. Suddenly back to his usual confident self. 

“What?” Had Remy heard that correctly?

“When do we start my training? If that witch is out for me then there’s no way I’m going down without a fight!” Roman explained himself. 

“Roman, can’t you just let this dude.” Virgil pointed at Remy. “Fix this all for you?! You can go into hiding. Stay safe!” Virgil shouted at his boyfriend, before lowering his volume. “This sounds dangerous!” He hissed.

“I’m sorry Virgil, but I can’t... if it’s me he wants then I’ll make sure he’ll get more than he bargained for!” At this point Virgil was certain that Roman’s bravado was gonna get him killed.

“Okay, so before we start this whole epic training montage. I have to ask... There’s a henchman, or woman, of D. in this village. Does anyone other then this cutie over here,” Remy winked at Virgil. “know that you’re a witch?” 

“My two best friends do.” Roman quickly answered. “They run the library and the small cafe inside it.” Suddenly he got an idea. “I’m sure that they’ll let us train there if we asked! There’s a lot more space there and they have some books on witchcraft that I don’t have myself!”

“And you’re sure you can trust them?” Remy asked. Knowing it was best if as little people knew about this as possible.

“Yeah, why not? I’ve known Logan almost my entire life!” Roman was already set on training in the library, with his two best friends, and maybe his boyfriend if he wanted to come, by his side.

“And the other friend?” Remy inquired. 

“Patton?” Roman laughed out loud at the idea of Patton being some dark and broody Umbra. “Patton wouldn’t hurt a soul! He’s not some kind of evil Umbra! He already gets scared from itty bitty spiders! No, I trust the both of them with my life.”

“Quite literally” Remy mumbled under his breath. Did Roman really not see how serious this situation was? Even Virgil seemed to get it, and according to Roman, he barely knew anything about witches! 

“What did you say?” Roman asked.

“Nothing. Off to the library we go!” Remy quickly said. Even he knew there was a time for remarks like that... and that was probably not now. Maybe it was better to keep Roman a little bit naive, maybe that would help him train better? They would need a lot of strength to beat Deceit and his henchmen.

“Hey um Virge? I know you’re uncomfortable with magic and stuff. If you want to stay here and-“ Roman’s sentence was broken off by a kiss on his lips from Virgil. 

“Believe me there’s nothing I want to do more than stay as far away as possible from this...” Virgil said cradling Roman’s head softly between his hands. “But, I have a feeling I through all of that out of the window when I started living with you. I’ll come with you.” 

“Great, now that the turtledoves have come to a consensus, let’s go! We can teleport there in no time.” Remy ruined their little moment. 

“I would still prefer to walk.” Virgil protested, but the two Lux grabbed his arms and when he opened his eyes he was standing in front of the library, and he was also extremely light headed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re slowly getting closer to the inevitable confrontation! 
> 
> Who do you think the Umbra looking for Roman is?  
> Do you think we’ve already met them? Or will Roman be safe for a while? Who knows? 
> 
> Well... I do, but it’s not like I’m gonna tell you that now! XD


	9. Light headed, dark minded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman starts his training. 
> 
> Wait where did that angst come from?

Shortly after arriving at the library, Roman explained everything to Logan and Patton, who both seemed to be a little uncomfortable about Roman being in danger. However Logan gladly let Roman and Remy use the library to train in, as long as he was allowed to watch. He was not going to pass up the opportunity to learn more about witchcraft and the uses of magic in battle. Something he hadn’t talked with Roman about yet. 

By the time everything was arranged, Virgil started to dangerously sway on his feet, clearly not taking well to being teleported earlier. So Patton lead him to the cafe to get some sugar into him against the dizziness. 

“Thanks Pat.” Virgil sighed into his mug of hot chocolate, as the world slowly but surely stopped spinning. 

“What happened that got you in that state?” Patton asked a little panicky, when he noticed that Virgil was doing better. He gave Virgil a cookie before sitting down behind the bar on a stool that stood there for when there was nobody in the cafe and Patton had nothing to do. “I was afraid you were gonna faint for a sec!”

“Magic happened.” Virgil huffed. “Ugh my head hurts. Seriously how do they do that teleport thing all the time?”

“Guess it takes some getting used to.” Patton said with a small smile gracing his lips. He was glad that at least some color was returning to Virgil’s pale face.

“I’d rather not...” Virgil chuckled in response. If it was up to him then he would never get teleported again. But there’s not much you can do when two Lux suddenly grab your arms and drag you away. He could still feel their handprints slightly glowing on his skin. 

“Yeah...” Patton agreed. Virgil had honestly expected Patton to like the magic and the brightness that came along with a Lux, but Patton seemed apprehensive, just like Virgil himself. That could just be because someone had just told him that those powers were exactly why someone else wanted Roman dead, though. 

“We should probably get back to them now, before they burn the place down.” Virgil dragged himself up from his chair, holding on to the bar for some support, until he felt grounded enough to let go.

“You sure you’re good Virge? You can have a second cookie. I won’t tell Logan.” Patton asked concerned. As much as Virgil wouldn’t mind staying here with Patton, he couldn’t just leave Roman alone with Remy and Logan. That was an explosion waiting to happen.

“Yeah, I can stand on my feet again.” He muttered before swirling his head around a little to see if the dizziness was completely gone.

“Okay, let’s book it! Lux speed to the library!” Patton laughed, but something felt off for some reason and Virgil couldn’t figure out what it was exactly. “You get it? I said Lux instead of light!” Patton explained when Virgil remained quiet.

“Yeah, great one, Pat.” Virgil smiled, Patton smiled back, all was great. Until they started hearing frustrated yells from the other side of the library. 

The walk from the cafe to where Remy was trying to train Roman wasn’t very long and soon the two sat down next to Logan at one of the tables. They looked at Roman trying, and failing to beat Remy in even the easiest attacks, saw Remy facepalm several times and felt the tension slowly rise to explosive proportions. 

“Why can’t I just do this?!” Roman yelled at himself as he missed another shot. His magic dissolving into nothing after missing it’s target. 

“Seriously have you never had any combat training in your life?!” Remy yelled back as he hit Roman square in the chest, launching Roman back a few feet. 

“I never had a reason to!” Roman shouted, firing another shot, this time it hit one of the bookshelves that started to sway dangerously, but luckily no books caught fire.

“Please do calm down. I do not run a library because I am particularly fond of people screaming at each other.” Logan said with so much authority that it even shocked Remy into silence. And Remy was used to people following his orders, not the other way around. “As you two are training here as guest, please respect the building and it’s primary function as any patron would.” 

“Maybe it’s time for a break.” Virgil suggested, now it actually was quiet for a second. 

“Good idea, Virgil.” Logan agreed. He had been sitting there watching Remy and Roman fight like teenage girl for longer than Virgil had and his patience was running out. “Remy I have some more questions about your kind and it’s darker opposite. Would you mind telling us more about this D. person that is supposedly hunting Roman down?” 

“Oh babes, no need to ask so formally!” Remy winked at Logan earning him a huff from said librarian. “Of course I’ll do that! Anything is better than trying to learn him to actually shoot straight.” 

“I’m not straight...” Roman mumbled as he sat down next to Virgil and kissed him on the lips for good measure. He glared at Remy afterwards, a clear message to back off and to switch topics. Which Remy did by answering Logan’s question.

“Okay so like, several years ago... maybe a hundred or so, D. started to hunt down people to sell their souls to the devil to gain more powers himself, as he gets more power for every person that turns under him.” Remy talked quietly as for him all of this was obvious. “Peeps didn’t notice at first, but he was slowly building up an army of Umbra, all weaker than him, afraid of him. They did everything he wanted from them. Including attacking my family, while others were kidnapping some children from our village. My parents killed the henchmen that tried to attack us, but D. didn’t care... He already had what he wanted.” Whatever it was that D. had wanted, it was visible from his face that it had come to a great cost for Remy.

“I don’t remember hearing about that? When did that happen?” Roman asked, he was still a young witch after all and his mother clearly hadn’t taught him what was actually going on in the world around him. Causing Roman to believe the world was just a fairytale for the longest time and even now still as he honestly believed that with some training he could easily beat D.

“68 years ago.” Remy answered. He didn’t even need time to think about it. 

“You said ‘tried to kill us’. How old are you exactly?” Logan asked, getting more intrigued about the lifestyle from witches by the day.

“Older than that obviously.” Remy said throwing another wink towards the librarian. 

“How?” Logan mumbled inside his mouth, but Remy still heard him and answered.

“The stronger the witch the easier it becomes to manipulate the aging process. I mean we still die eventually, we’re not immortal... there’s still someone out there that owns our souls after all. But generally we have a longer lifespan than most.” Remy explained as he finally sat down with the others.

“Now that you know my beauty secrets, let’s talk more about D. Not that I want to talk about that snake, but it’s probably better if you know all this.” Remy slouched further on his chair and popped his legs on the table. Logan was about to tell him off but he continued with his story before he could. “Right now he runs a camp a few hundred miles from here, but it’s most likely that he has a smaller camp close by, that is if his henchman has found Roman already.”

“What’s the chance that he has.” Virgil asked hesitantly. He wondered how much research Remy had actually done. 

“It’s more likely than you’d think.” If Veronica knew then someone sent out specifically to find Roman would definitely know. “Currently most of D’s henchmen are highly trained themselves, nothing like the ones that attacked my family. They could be in this very room and even I would have trouble locating them.”

“Anyone wants some tea? I’m gonna make some tea!” Patton asked suddenly and a little too quickly. Everyone nodded and Patton quickly made his way back to the cafe. 

“Two sugars please, babe.” Remy called after him, before continuing his story. “Okay so where was I? Oh yes D’s henchmen. D likes to break them. Of course he loves it when people are all scared and do everything he wants regardless, but he loves it even more if he can break the strongest souls. We should probably be expecting some poor, depressed looking, middle classer to be his scout.”

“I’m gonna help Patton with the tea. Be right back.” Virgil said, mainly to Roman, before giving his boyfriend a kiss on his forehead and going after Patton. Something was bothering Patton and Virgil was determined to figure out what it was. And he also wouldn’t mind not listening to Remy talk about D. and imagining what could happen to Roman if this went sour. 

“Hey Pat, you alright? You left quite suddenly.” Virgil said once he was close enough for Patton to hear, so he wouldn’t have to shout. “I mean I don’t really like hearing the stuff they’re talking about either but... Pat?” Virgil was standing just behind Patton now and he could see his friend shaking. Was he crying? 

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!” Patton blurted out apology after apology for no apparent reason. 

“What are you talking about? You don’t need to feel sorry for taking a breather now and then.” Virgil calmly turned Patton around by his shoulders so they were facing each other. He also tried making eye contact, but Patton only looked at the ground. His glasses in his hand next to his hip. 

“It’s too late! I’m sorry! I didn’t...”Patton kept sobbing, wiping his eyes with his free hand, but never lifting up his head. 

“Again. What are you talking about? Too late for what?” Virgils grip on Patton’s shoulders tightened a little bit to ground Patton a little.

“He’s gonna get Roman, and I... I can’t do anything to help Ro and....” So that’s what Patton is worried about. Well he wouldn’t be the only one. Everyone was worried what would happen if D. got to Roman now. 

“Hey, hey! That’s why Roman is training now, right? He’s gonna be prepared. Roman’s gonna be fine.” Even if Virgil wasn’t sure if everything was indeed going to be fine, but if it would ease Patton’s mind then he would lie to the both of them that it was and that nothing too bad would happen to Roman. 

“It’s too late, Virge! Deceit’s already here. It’s too late!” Patton finally looked up, but Virgil barely processed it at first. Stuck in calming down Patton mode he automatically continued trying to ease his worries.

“It’s not too...” The words got caught in his throat. Patton’s words finally catching up to him. His eyes shot up to meet Patton’s, the sight definitely not what he was expecting. “What have you done?”


	10. Turning blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What kind of relationship do Blue and Veronica have?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to go up 2 chapters ago, but I figured it fit better here.

A few days after the ritual the scary adult, who had lead them to that darned soul room, came into their current room. A bare room with only a few pillows and blankets, lit up by a single candle at night and whatever light came through the window at daytime. The boy sat there cowered away in the corner with the other children. All freshly ‘turned’ although they weren’t exactly sure what they had turned into. Turned had just been the word the adults used. 

The woman carried a tray of food, usually brought in by an ‘assistant’, more like slave, of the cook. She put it down in the middle of the room and took a few steps back. “Please, eat. You will have a long day ahead of you.” She spoke, voice void of any emotion. So different from the kind voice she had spoken with when telling them their parents had arrived at the camp to get them. 

He didn’t know what came over him, but in a flash of bravery he refused walking up to the tray like the other children had. “Not hungry.” He mumbled, challenging the woman by looking straight into her eyes... well he hoped he was... His glasses got smashed during the panic that ensued when the shadows started moving in the big bad scary room, so with the dim lighting, of the early morning sun, the woman basically looked like a fuzzy blob. 

The other kids hesitate for a second after hearing their unofficial leader refuse, but decide to listen to their stomachs in the end. The blue eyed boy left behind in the corner. 

The woman walked up to the boy holding out something... he couldn’t quite figure out what it was. It was blurry and too small to have a distinct shape to recognize it. “Here.” The woman handed him the object and he quickly realized they were a new pair of glasses. Suspiciously he put them on, his vision immediately returning to normal... maybe even better than before. 

“There you go, kiddo.” The woman’s sweet voice was back and the boy couldn’t help but feel like she actually meant it nicely... like it wasn’t just an act. “Are you hungry now? I would eat something if I were you. D. never goes easy on new recruits. Before you know it you’ll sit in solitary and wont get anything to eat for a week.” 

That turned out to become a punishment that he would have to endure often in his time at the camp. A very effective one too as he was a very social person. Luckily for him Veronica seemed to have a weak spot for him. Sneaking in food if D. wasn’t watching. Scaring the guards into not telling anyone. Helping him enchant his glasses so they would always give him perfect vision, even if his prescription would change and would hide even the smallest cracks of black in his irises from the rest of the world. 

The boy was 13 now and still definitely not D’s favorite. Luckily for him he still was Veronica’s. Veronica caring for him was probably the only reason he was still alive to this day as D. could easily find another child, who would actually listen too, him to take his place. Speaking of which D. Veronica and a few of the other adult camp members just came back from a raid for some new souls, a new ritual taking place tomorrow. 

The boy had seen them enter the camp from his place on a hill on the outskirts of the camp, but they had quickly disappeared behind some buildings... or well shacks as they in all honesty were, it was just a camp after all, not a real town. 

“Thought I’d find you here.” Veronica said as she sat down next to the boy she had started to call him Blue over the years and the rest of the camp had quickly followed as he had never actually told them his name and the other kids from his village didn’t actually know him before they got there. “How you doin, kiddo?”

“I’m good! I can pretty much see normally from my right eye again!” He took off his glasses to show how the swelling of his black eye was slowly going down. D. had struck him yesterday after he had spoken out of turn... again. Maybe he should stop doing that, but not doing anything would be wrong! 

“That’s good...” Veronica reached out, but quickly pulled her hand back. Not sure if would allow her to touch him.

“Yeah...” Blue nodded in thought.

“Now how are you really feeling?” Veronica asked quietly to not disturb the silence of the night around them.

“Better than yesterday... thank you for asking V.” A genuine smile on his face. A little subdued, but it was real. And lately that had been a rare sight. 

“You know you don’t have to call me that when D. isn’t around. You can just call me Veronica.”

“Well then you can call me-“ The boy said without thinking about it, but Veronica quickly cut him off.

“Woah! Blue what are you doing?” She asked still calm, but with a little panicky undertone. 

“Telling you my name... it’s only fair, since you’re the only person around here who would actually use it.” He chuckled softly, kindly even. 

“And I DON’T want to hear it!” Veronica almost screamed out, shocking the boy in front of her. She didn’t deserve to know that boy’s real name. Nobody in this god forsaken place deserved to know. He was too different, too... good. 

“I just... I... I thought... never mind.” He honestly seemed disappointed that couldn’t share something he had been keeping to himself for years now. 

“Hey, hey Blue, listen. It’s nothing against you... okay?” Veronica back paddled “I’m sorry... today was stressful. We only managed to get two kids and D. is pissed.” Pissed was an understatement, he was livid. He had even offed one of the lower level witches on the spot after a kid had gotten away.

“I guess I’ll sleep out here then.” Blue only half joked.

“Please don’t. You’ll catch a cold.” Veronica said with a stern look, before remembering something. She grabbed something from her satchel, but it was too small for Blue to see what she was holding. Veronica had made a habit of shrinking her items so she could always carry everything with her. Even her broom was in there! 

“Maybe I’ll turn Blue.” He continued joking, trying to lift the mood. 

“You’re really strong, Blue.” Veronica said as she bound the item from her satchel, a thick long sleeved shirt, around Blue’s shoulders, to shield him from the cold since Deceit didn’t allow him to have a cloak. “Never let D. take that strength away from you, okay?” 

“Strong? I’m not exactly a strong witch. I can barely even move around using shadows!” He exclaims. And although he is right, this wasn’t what Veronica had meant with that.

“You’ve got guts, a strong mind, you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think! You are the only person here with morals.” 

“You’ve got morals!” Blue’s exclamation surprised Veronica. She didn’t expect him to actually think that high of her.

“Ha, I’ve lost those years ago!” She eventually answered laughing with fake confidence. “My heart is all dark and shriveled up.” 

“No it isn’t!” Blue defended his... friend? Parental figure? “You wouldn’t be here if it was. And you definitely wouldn’t have brought cookies!” 

“And I almost forgot to mention that you somehow always know when there’s cookies around.” The two laughed as Veronica got the cookies from her satchel.

They stayed out there a little longer until the curfew hit them and Blue had to be back in his age group’s shack. Veronica stayed behind looking at the stars for a while, before making her way to her bed. 

The day after that Blue had seen D. grab the two kids they had collected during yesterday’s raid. He dragged them to the soul room, a job usually done by Veronica. He saw Veronica too later in the day, but only in passing. She seemed upset and very, very angry. That was the last time he would see her. Veronica left the camp that night, hidden in the darkness. He didn’t know why and D. never mentioned it. The only thing she had left behind for him were two cookies wrapped in a shirt made of a material thicker than anything he had ever owned. A wry goodbye gift from the only person he’d ever known who actually cared for him. Even if she would never admit it out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the continuation of “light headed, dark minded”
> 
> Be prepared for some heavy angst guys!


	11. Spilled tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let’s spill some tea, shall we?

“It’s not too...” The words got caught in his throat. Patton’s words finally catching up to him. His eyes shot up to meet Patton’s, the sight definitely not what he was expecting. “What have you done?” Virgil asked breathlessly as he looked directly into striking blue eyes with little black veins and cracks on the irises. The sight was beautiful, but also frightening. The stare kept haunting Virgil’s mind as Patton turned away from him. The room temperature seemed to drop as shadows started to move and Virgil could do nothing as they were slowly inching up to him. He just stood there, frozen, unsure what to say or do.

Patton lifted his arm and Virgil was suddenly yeeted against the wall, the breath knocked out of his lungs as his back hit the red bricks. 

“I’m sorry!” Patton apologized again. From deeper into the library Virgil could see a silhouette of a man appearing out of nowhere. 

“Patton...” Virgil wasn’t exactly sure what to say or if anything could be said that would change what was about to happen. “Patton please stop this! Patton! PATTON!” After Virgil’s last scream the shadows moved to cover his mouth, probably so the others wouldn’t hear him. 

All Virgil could think off as Patton walked away towards the shadowy figure, standing in between some bookshelves and grinning like the devil himself, was; ‘What has that asshole done to Patton? ...and what’s gonna happen to Roman?” 

“Who’s that?” Deceit huffed when his little ‘helper’ joined him between the many books of the library. 

“He is... a friend. He’s innocent, a human. he shouldn’t have to see this... and... and neither should Logan!” Patton pleaded, but he knew pleading never worked against Deceit. 

“Logan? Ah your alibi for the last few years.” Patton visibly cringed from hearing his ‘boss’ talk about Logan that way. Sure that was how it had all started, but... “The man you lied to so you had a reason to stay in the village. I don’t see why he shouldn’t stay to watch the show. It would be a privilege for him to see it, don’t you think? Since he isn’t necessary anymore.” Deceit threatened. ‘Not necessary anymore’ meant Deceit could also simply kill him off and be done with it and Patton didn’t want that. He knew Patton didn’t want that, because Patton still cared too much for others, for useless commoners. 

“Yes sir.” Patton reluctantly agreed, bowing his head in submission.

The two stalked towards the friends, and Remy, who were merrily chit chatting with each other, unaware of the danger coming towards them. That in turn was also unaware of being stalked themself. 

Before they got too close, Deceit gave Patton a tray with cups of tea. The one for Roman was poisoned, not enough to kill him, but perfectly measured out to make him sick, so he would hopefully separate himself from the group to lay down for a minute. That’s when they would strike, to avoid a confrontation with Remy. 

“Hey guys! I got your tea.” Patton said with his best attempt of a cheerful tone. Luckily for him nobody seemed to notice the slight inconsistencies with how he normally spoke.

“Thanks babe!” Remy said when Patton put down the tray and handed out the cups. He realized Deceit hadn’t made a cup for Virgil, but couldn’t do anything about that now except for hoping that nobody else would notice. 

“Thank you, Patton.” Logan said. He grabbed Patton’s hand after he had put down Logan’s cup and pressed a kiss on it before letting Patton return to the job of handing out tea. Patton didn’t want to lose this. He couldn’t lose this! Tears formed in his eyes and he almost dropped Roman’s cup, but Roman already reached out to take it from him. 

“Wonderful! Thanks padre!” He said with a big and genuine smile. Nobody saw the tears hidden behind Patton’s magical glasses, or the fact that Patton was shaking a little. “Where’s Virgil? I thought he was gonna help you.” Roman asked out of nowhere and Patton honestly wasn’t sure if he could lie to his friends much longer.

“Virgil will be stuck in the cafe for a little longer.” Really Patton? This is the best you could come up with? They actually have to believe you, you know that right? They CAN’T go check the cafe for themselves! “He’s waiting... for the cookies to be ready! What’s tea without cookies?” 

“That sounds like a grandiose plan, Patton! Roman raised his cup in a toast, but put it back on the table to resume chatting with Remy, like he had done before Patton showed up with the tea. 

Everyone settled down to drink their tea, but something felt off. Remy just couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched, while he was pretty sure Logan had closed the library from the public. He tried to relax watching the steam coming from everyone’s tea slowly evaporate into the atmosphere. Normally watching steam coming from hot drinks helped Remy relax, but this time it only made him more on edge as he saw a slight discoloration in the steam coming from Roman’s cup. The steam was darker than normal water would be, which, to Remy, could only mean one thing. Magic. Umbra magic to be precise. 

Had Patton been the Umbra they were looking for all along? He didn’t exactly fit the description Remy had though up earlier, but again, Remy really wasn’t good at reading people. To him barely anyone was an open book. Patton could have easily been playing a part, without Remy ever noticing! But if Remy was good at one thing it was knowing when magic was involved and right now it definitely was.

Without thinking about it too much Remy took a sip of his, still very hot, drink. “Ugh, Oh my this is waaay too sweet!” He bluffed as his tongue felt like it was on fire. 

“You... you wanted 2 sugars, right?” Patton stammered in response. Deceit may have given him the tea, but Patton had made sure that everyone had gotten their usual orders. 

“Yes, but babes there’s definitely more of the sweet stuff in here. Maybe you mixed up the cups?” Remy looked around the group as if inspecting the other tea’s, luckily for him both Logan and Patton had milk in theirs so the only tea that could have been switched with his was Roman’s now let’s just hope Roman likes his tea sweet. “Yo Roman. You have more sugar than me right?”

“How did you know?” Roman asked completely flabbergasted. Could Remy read minds? Could he predict other peoples drink preferences?

“Lucky guess.” Oh. “Can we switch cups? I think you have mine.” 

“Sure.” Roman said uninterested, at the same time that Patton was anything but. His eyes shot up to a random spot between the bookshelves, as if he was mentally begging someone for help. Not sure what to do now Roman’s cup was going to someone else. 

Remy grabbed the cup, but before taking a sip he started forming some pure light magic with his other hand, quickly stretching out his arm in Patton’s direction as if he was throwing something. The magic formed a rope of light that acted as a whip and bound itself around Patton’s wrist, while Remy was still holding the other end. The cup in Remy’s other hand dropped to the ground and left a stain on the carped

Patton stood still and stiff like a plank, his arm away from the rest of his body. He didn’t pull on the magic that restrained him. He didn’t move a muscle. To the others this might have been blamed on shock, as Remy’s sudden action shocked them too, but Remy saw the tears in Patton’s eyes as he fought to keep his mouth shut and not scream out in pain.

“Remy, what in God’s name are you doing?!” Logan shouted at the Lux that was currently restraining his boyfriend.

“Unhand Patton at once!” Roman followed. Both their concerned shouts only made Patton want to cry more.

“Don’t you guys see it!” Remy shouted back.

“See what? That you’re hurting my boyfriend for no particular reason?” If a glare could kill him, Logan would have killed Remy right where he was standing. 

“You see gurl, the thing is... The magic around his wrist is not too tight. This is just a basic light rope. Can be used for the same things a normal rope can.” He gave a pointed look to Patton who was still standing there, trying to look as natural as possible. “It could be used for climbing, tying something up, or someone.” Remy added with a wink. 

“Get to the point.” Logan nearly growled. While Roman started to realize where Remy was headed with this.

“No...” Roman looked up at the man he had once seen as his best friend. He wasn’t... he couldn’t be! 

“This rope shouldn’t hurt our dear friend over here unless...” Remy loosened Patton’s bounds with a flick of his wrist. The magic sliding away to reveal some nasty burn marks on the spot where the rope had been. 

Patton finally released the breath he was holding and his body collapsed from relief that the burning had stopped, but he knew this wasn’t over. He was sitting on his knees, carefully clutching his arm when Logan spoke up.

“What do you think you’re doing? That shouldn’t hurt?! You have given him third degree burns! He needs medical attention!” 

“Lo...” Roman tried calming his friend down, but didn’t exactly know what to say right now. He guessed the truth was probably the best option. “Logan that shouldn’t happen. That never happens unless...”

“Our darling Patton over here is an Umbra! One that was trying to poison Roman too!” Remy interrupted Roman as he was taking too long. 

“What?! Wait is that why you wanted my tea? Was it poisoned?” Remy simply nodded in response. 

Slow claps came from deeper in the library and when the others turned their gaze away from Patton towards the sound, they were greeted by a tall man with snake leather boots, a completely black suit and a black cape with yellow lining that matched his yellow gloves. His hair was a dark brown and was combed back neatly under a black hat with a feather on it that was probably from a bird of prey. The left side of his face was damaged by old burn wounds, but he hid the discoloration with a snake print tattoo made with his own magic, like the mark he had given Veronica. 

“Deceit.” Remy was the first to say the name of the man, that had been making very difficult for years now, out loud

“Deceit? Who’s she? Never heard of her.” Deceit spoke with a wicked grin on his face. “I must say Remy, I’m totally happy to see you. How long has it been?” 

“Since I gave you a facelift? Like thirty years ago maybe? I saw you returned the favor to my sister.” Remy hissed out his response.

“Ah Veronica, how is she doing nowadays?” Roman looked shocked at Remy. Veronica, one of the strongest Umbra’s out there, was Remy’s sister? Now that can’t be right. It must be another Veronica.

“She’s fine. Especially since she left you.” Or maybe not. 

“She’ll come back. They all do. Even Patton here tried to run away once.” Deceit said smugly as he pointed at Patton who was still sitting on the ground holding his arm. “Soon she’ll realize that the only way to win in this world is by standing with me. She’s still a slut for power after all, and I’m the most powerful witch she’s ever gonna get.”

“Don’t you dare talk about my sister like that!” Remy was getting really angry now. Magic was sparkling from his hands and a single move towards him from Deceit would probably cause him to shoot at the Umbra. 

“Oh my. Did I touch a sore spot?” Deceit asked in fake shock.

“Honey, when I’m done with you your entire body will be sore.” Remy sassed back.

“Kinky.” Deceit smirked as he could see the rage flare in Remy’s eyes. 

“You know that’s not what I meant you fucking snake!” 

“Where’s Virgil?!” Roman suddenly spoke up. Trying to change the subject and suddenly very aware that the last time he saw Virgil, his boyfriend followed an Umbra to a place where Roman couldn’t protect him. 

“Vir...gil? Ah you mean the young man that followed Patton to the cafe earlier. He’s... a little tied up at the moment, isn’t he Patton?” Patton didn’t respond. He felt too many emotions right now. He didn’t want his friends to feel hurt, but could he even still call them his friends after today “Patton?” Deceit said again, more sternly this time. 

“Yes sir.” Patton answered obediently. 

Everyone’s eyes shot back to Patton, except for Logan’s that had shortly left upon Deceit’s arrival, but almost immediately returned to watching his... boyfriend? Who had just tried to kill his best friend. 

Patton looked back at Logan with pleading eyes. He didn’t want this. They must know he doesn’t want this! He doesn’t have a choice! He never had a choice! ...He just wished the Lux hadn’t been Roman. Maybe things could have stayed the same if the Lux had been a complete stranger. Then what Deceit made him do would’ve still be wrong, but at least his famILY wouldn’t have to suffer. 

Remy’s eyes shot back to Deceit, knowing that he was the bigger threat right now and he was surprised when he saw something move in the shadows behind him. A pair of green eyes making eye contact before disappearing back into the darkness. 

Veronica? He thought. What was she doing here? And why is she only watching them? Why isn’t she doing anything? Then again, what could she do?

“I must admit Remy, you seem to have foiled my plans today. I was planning on doing this quickly, silently and painlessly. But you’ve forced my hand.” Remy was ready to burn the other half of Deceit’s face off, but Deceit clearly had other plans. He never went into a fight without the proper preparations. “Patton let’s go. We’ll finish this later.” 

“But...” he spoke up as this had not been the plan, but one look from Deceit told him to just agree and shut up about it. “Yes sir.” The lack of emotion as he said those words left a heavy feeling in the others’ chests. 

Deceit smirked as he grabbed Patton by his burned wrist. Patton’s scream was deafening, before they dissolved into shadows that quickly retreated themselves out of the library. Leaving the building eerily quiet. Remy put up a barrier, but it was too late. They were gone. In the back, pressed against a wall he thought he still saw Veronica, but she still didn’t seem to want to make herself seen to everyone. Remy didn’t blame her. He was sure Roman would attack about every Umbra without second thought right now. Thereby he trusted her. In their last meeting it became clear that she would never join Deceit again. No matter what that snake said about her. When he looked back at where he believed Veronica to be, she was gone. But she couldn’t leave the building as the barrier was still up. She’d probably just found a better hiding spot.

Footsteps could be heard running towards the trio that just stood there, lost and not knowing what to do. “What the fuck just happened?!” Virgil shouted clearly panicked. Nobody was sure what to tell him.


	12. Fight or flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath. 
> 
> Mainly just tense situations and some things getting talked through.

Remy was the only one composed enough to explain to Virgil what had happened. Conveniently leaving out the part where he had seen Veronica as she still had to be somewhere in the building and he wouldn’t sell her out when she was most likely an innocent bystander. 

Virgil in turn explained to the others how shadows had pushed him against the wall and had covered his mouth so he couldn’t scream for help. Then suddenly the shadows had disappeared and he decided to run to the others as quickly as possible. During Remy’s and Virgil’s explanation of recent events, Logan remained remarkably quiet. His hands in the pockets of his jacket. One grasping around something. 

“So... what do we do now?” Roman asked, still in shock from everything that had happened.

“We should save Patton!” Virgil spoke up which caused all of the others to bewilderedly turn towards him. Had they heard him correctly?

“Save Patton? He isn’t the one in danger here! He tried to kill me!” Roman said pointing at the dropped tea cup on the floor. 

“Even if he did, which I doubt, he didn’t want to!” Virgil argued back.

“How would you know?” Roman asked the question everyone wanted to know. How did Virgil know that Patton was truly a good person. 

“The way he acted before restraining me. He kept apologizing over and over. He didn’t want this!” Virgil answered, but his answer wasn’t enough to convince anyone.

“Or he just wanted you to believe that.” Roman and Virgil were standing in front of each other now, the others completely forgotten as they argued what either believed to be right. 

“He wasn’t pretending!” Virgil shouted raising his finger to Roman’s chest. 

“How do you know?” Roman swatted Virgil’s hand away. Virgil’s dark brown eyes growing just a little bit darker with anger. “We’ve known him for longer than you do and we still fell for it! He’s damn good at pretending if you ask me!” 

“I still think he didn’t want to do this!” Virgil stepped out of Roman’s space, turning his back to him choosing to instead find help with the others. “Maybe if we get him out of there he could help us!”

“Or mislead us again!” Roman shouted. “Virge... please. Patton wasn’t the person who we thought he was.”

“Because he is Umbra?” The ice in Virgil’s voice as he said that cooling the entire room, until Roman’s passionate response brought back the heat. 

“Because he tried to kill me!” He was actually screaming now and Virgil soon followed him. Ice completely thawed again and replaced by a fire similar to Roman’s.

“He didn’t want to! I highly doubt that stuff was even strong enough to actually knock you out! He wouldn’t do that!” 

“It was still poisoned, Remy said so.” Roman said in an I-told-you-so voice. That was the last straw for Virgil. Not that he thought that Remy wasn’t trustworthy, but how could Roman choose to trust him over the people he has known for longer? 

“Oh so when Mister super Lux you barely know, tells you something you suddenly believe it, but when you’re own boyfriend tells you that Patton didn’t want to do what he did you don’t? Think about it for a second! We’re talking about Patton here!”

“Patton seems to have deceived us all.” Logan said calmly before his mood shifted and he angrily threw the thing from his pocket in a garbage bin. For a nerd a, he had surprisingly good aim. The object disappeared into the bin. Everyone had clearly seen what it was, but nobody commented on it. “We should focus on what to do when Deceit evidently comes back.” 

“If we could get Pat-“ Virgil tried again.

“NO!” Logan shouted back before regaining his calm composure, shifting his glasses on his face.

“I’m just saying if we got him out of there D. Would be alone! And we would have someone on our side that-“ 

“Who says he’s on our side.” Roman interrupted Virgil.

“It’s Patton for hec...ks sake.” Why couldn’t anyone see that Patton wasn’t the bad guy here? Oh yeah right because technically he was the bad guy... but he isn’t a bad guy. If Virgil would really be honest with himself he should probably....”

“This conversation is going in circles faster than Serena when she tried negotiating between Veronica and my mom.” Remy’s interruption was strange but definitely not unwelcome and the image was hilarious for those who had seen it themselves, but of course apart from Remy and Veronica, nobody had.

“When you say Veronica you mean...” Roman asked as he was suddenly reminded of the things Deceit had said earlier. 

“Yeah, that one. She’s really a good person though. Even if she doesn’t always act on it.” Remy chuckled sadly. He really missed the time they could just be brother and sister instead of good Lux and bad Umbra. 

“I’m confused.” Logan stated. They should probably fill the humans in on some more things now. But that was okay. Deceit had to regroup. They had time... for now.

The rest of the day was spent with more training and Remy explaining more about how Veronica had ended up becoming Umbra instead of Lux. Virgil had retreated back to the cafe to sleep a little after everything that had happened today, but he wasn’t sleeping. He sat on the armrest of one of the chairs idly looking at the spot Deceit had appeared in earlier. It was almost as if he was waiting for him or Patton to come back, even when he knew they couldn’t. 

Virgil still didn’t believe that Patton would do this voluntarily. Patton was just too nice... too morally correct, to just poison someone, anyone! Patton was too... Patton. 

He had to do something. He couldn’t just sit here! Every fiber in his being screamed at him to find Patton and bring him back. But how? The others didn’t want to believe him and Remy had told them that although, unless they were Umbra, they could cross the border whenever they wanted to, but he would always know. 

Virgil was trapped. 

Dinner that evening was tense. Roman was already feeling more optimistic about his abilities, but Patton not being there had definitely caused the mood to shift. Logan hadn’t said a word since he had given everyone a pastry, that Patton had made that morning. And if Virgil had learned anything from the time he had spent with his boyfriend’s best friend, it was that Logan was never quiet. 

“Okay Virge, seriously how do you always do that?” Roman asked out of nowhere just after Virgil had taken a bite from his croissant. Well it definitely got Virgil out of his own mind. 

“Do what? He asked after swallowing the pastry. He never talked with food still in his mouth. 

“You’re eating something flaky and yet there’s not a single crumb on your plate! How do you eat so neatly?” Roman explained himself while pointing at Virgil’s plate. 

“That’s an exaggeration Roman, there’s still some crumbs on his plate.” Logan finally spoke up. It was the first thing he had said since they had entered the cafe and the fact that he was disagreeing with Roman almost made this dinner feel normal. If only Remy wasn’t sitting at the table eating a pastry instead of Patton. 

“But it’s a lot less than on mine!” Roman protested with his mouth full, causing Virgil to cringe, but still laugh behind his hand.

“Well. You are a messy eater.” Logan stated smirking at Roman, tension temporarily forgotten.

“Besides, his plate is cleaner than mine.” Virgil said after swallowing another bite. He pointed at Remy’s plate that was almost spotless.

“My parents were nobles” The Lux defended his eating behaviors.

“So? My parents were assholes. What’s your point?” Virgil bounced back. It was probably the first time Roman had ever heard Virgil talk about his family. Today had been a weird day for everyone. So most of them decided to call it a night early. Around midnight everyone was asleep on blankets in the cafe. 

Everyone except two.

“There you are.” Veronica said as she saw Remy outside, staring at the barrier he had created and the stars in the sky above.

“Oh hey babe.” Remy said without looking at her. He didn’t need too, they knew each other too well. And he already knew she was there anyway. 

“Think you could let me out? I was just curious when I could feel a lot of energy coming from this building. I’d rather not get involved if D. is.” Veronica huffed looking at the barrier instead of her brother now. How she wished she could cross these things without burning to a crisp. 

“Oh he is.” Remy said finally looking up at his sister, causing her to look back at him too. 

“I know. I saw.” She giggled anxiously. “Can you please drop the barrier for a sec so I can-“

“Can you help me with something first.” Remy interrupted her. “You don’t have to confront D. but I was wondering. That Patton... do you know him?” 

“I think I do... Have you ever looked him into the eyes? You don’t easily forget the sight. At least I didn’t. When I was still at the camp, we called him blue because of it. And also because he never told us his actual name... I guess he couldn’t keep that up.” 

“How powerful is he?” 

“He’s powerful, but he doesn’t see it. Much like Roman by the way.” She smiled softly.

“Gurl I could tell you stories! That man is an idiot.” They shared a laugh before Veronica continued her story.

“Patton is powerful in a different way. He has a strong mind and a kind heart. I really thought he would be too tough for D. to crack.” 

“You were wrong.” Remy huffed. Thinking back to the obedient little sheep that Patton had become as soon as Deceit had showed up. 

“I know that! I... I can’t help to think that it was my fault.” Veronica sighed, looking up at the sky. “I left him there. I was angry, upset, I felt betrayed. All those feelings that I had been cropping up over the years were finally spilling out and I just left. I didn’t want to have anything to do with that place anymore. I didn’t even think about bringing him along until the sun started to rise and by then I couldn’t go back.” 

“So what now?” Remy hoped she would stay. That they could just be twins again, but things could never be that easy.

“Now I need to get out of here.” Veronica put her hand on Remy’s shoulder, hoping the movement would somehow help convince him that it was okay to let her go. Even if it really wasn’t.

“So now you’re just gonna run away or...?” 

“I’ve fought on the wrong side for too long.” It was quiet for quite a while after that. The air heavy, but still something seemed to have lifted from the twins’ shoulders. And that wasn’t just Veronica’s hand letting go of Remy.

“There you go.” Remy finally said as he lowered the barrier so Veronica could cross. “Take care of yourself sis.”

“You too.” And So Veronica once again left in the dark of the night. She had some things that she needed to take care of.


	13. A silver coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little glimpse into Remy and Veronica’s past to break up the angst a little bit.

She was walking through the big garden of the house, well... palace, that belonged to her parents. She wasn’t wearing shoes and had streaks of mud all over her skin and clothing. She looked like a mess and couldn’t care less. It was nice to have a little time for herself. She made sure to take the most time for herself she could get, now she still could. But of course even when going to great lengths to get that time, it never lasted very long. 

“‘Miss Veronica, get back inside please. Your mother asked me to get you ready for the party tonight.” Serena, one of their family’s maids, who also used to be the twin’s babysitter when they were younger, called out into the garden. Veronica knew she was only doing her job, but she couldn’t help to give the maid a sassy reply back. She could be just as bad as her brother sometimes. 

“Okay, but think about this. I don’t want to go to the party.” She argued, already knowing it was a lost cause.

“Okay, but there are going to be important people there. You have to go to the party.” Serena tried to negotiate, but that didn’t really make the idea of going to the party any more appealing to the young Veronica.

“I still don’t wanna.” Veronica was now standing in front of Serena who was standing at the end of the stone path leading back to the house.

“Your mom told me you had to.” Serena said with a kind smile and pity in her eyes. She knew the kid in front of her didn’t like the life she was born into, but at the same time it was hard to feel sorry for someone who to people on the outside seemed ton have everything she could ever want.

“Well tell my mom I don’t want to!” Veronica said as she grabbed the hand Serena had hold out for her. 

“I will miss Veronica, but you’ll probably still have to.” Serena spoke calmly as she started walking back towards the house with Veronica walking a little behind her on the right. “And stick that tongue back into your mouth missy.” She said without looking back to see Veronica actually doing it. She knew this child too well so she knew that she was. 

“No luck?” Remy asked as Veronica entered his bedroom scrubbed clean and dressed in a fancy evening dress. 

“Nope... Can’t they see I hate these parties?!” Veronica huffed as she let herself fall on her brother’s bed. 

“Oh come on Vergy! Parties are fun! Plus we get to meet all these awesome Lux!” Remy tried to cheer her up. Unlike his sister, he was actually looking forward to the party tonight. 

“Bet you a silver that mom is just trying to set me up with a ‘nice gentleman’ twice my age, again.” Veronica said as she held out her hand for a handshake in case Remy accepted the bet. Instead he grabbed her hand and pulled her up so she was sitting on his bed instead of laying down. 

“Although a silver coin does sound tempting I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, as mom is most definitely going to try to get you a future husband again. I’d rather keep my silver.” He said with a cheeky smirk.

“You’re no fun.” Veronica huffed again, but a small smile was slowly making it’s way to her face.

Says the person who doesn’t like parties.” 

I like parties! Just not the people coming to our parents’ parties! 

“Can you imagine? In just a few years we’re gonna like rule over them.” Remy jumped on his bed like he leaped onto a pedestal from which his subjects could admire him.

“We’re not royalty, Rem! We do not ‘rule’ over anyone.” Veronica pushed Remy so he fell down, only just being able to not fall off the bed. “Besides the only one that’s gonna be above them is you! I’ll just be stuck, married to a stuck up Lux, living in some mansion, embroidering pillowcases and making potions.” Veronica whined.

“Potion making isn’t that bad... okay it totally is.” Remy chuckled, draping himself over his sister’s shoulders. 

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life making potions, Rem! I want to learn more, read about magic! I want to be able to fight for myself!” Veronica removed herself from her brother’s weak grip and stood up from the bed, walking towards the middle of the room before turning around to face her twin again. 

“I don’t know sis, my classes on all that are pretty boring.” Remy argued her. To lazy to stand up himself he chose for the second best option and hung his head over the edge of his bed, now seeing Veronica as if she was hanging from the ceiling as his whole world had turned upside down.

“Well at least you get to take them! I don’t understand. If we are supposed to be so much better than humans, because we are destined to become the next generation of grand witches, then why do we have to live according to the gender rules of those humans!” She had nothing against humans. By this time she was still human herself and she would stay that way until the twin’s sixteenth birthday, but she hated the way they treated women. How women were supposed to be docile and stay in the house all day. How she could stand up for herself. How her brother got to do all these cool things once they got turned and she would just learn how to act like a lady. 

“Gurl, if mom hears you talking like this...” It wouldn’t be the first time Veronica got in trouble for speaking her mind. 

“Why can’t I learn to use battle spells, or how to teleport? And is it too much to ask to be given the option wear pants?!” Veronica ranted. Before Remy could even try to calm his sister down they were interrupted by someone shouting from downstairs.

“Veronica, get down here immediately!” Their mother called out as if she had heard the twins talking. They both knew that wasn’t the case as their mother was still on the ground floor and they were on the second, but still the timing was a bit creepy and their mom did posses magic. 

“Ooh gurl, you’re in trouble.” Remy teased, but there was sympathy in his eyes.

“Shut it!” Veronica said back before making her way downstairs, already dreading the conversation ahead of her. She only started speaking as she was standing on the same level as her mother. “Yes mother?” She asked.

“What did I just hear? You stuck out your tongue towards Selena?” Her mom was angry, but managed to hide it under a fake smile. However Veronica could see straight through her by looking at the burning in her mother’s eyes. The eyes were the window to the soul after all. 

“It’s Serena...” Veronica mumbled under her breath, embarrassed that her mother still hadn’t taken the time to actually learn the maid’s name after all these years.

“What did you say? Don’t mumble Veronica, it’s rude.”

“Nothing... it’s not important.” She hastily answered.

“You need to start behaving like a lady.” Veronica was fighting the urge to stick her tongue out to her mom as well. “How else are we going to find you a nice gentleman to marry? You don’t want to spend the rest of your life living on the streets, do you?”

“No mother.” She wanted so badly to say something like ‘I can take care of myself’ or ‘I’d rather live on the streets than marry someone for their luxurious lifestyle’, but she knew that wouldn’t make things better and she still had some self preservation left. 

After their conversation had ended, her mother left the room. Veronica sat down on the stairs, something she was pretty sure wasn’t ladylike, but she couldn’t care less. 

“And? How did it go?” Remy asked as he came down the stairs. Pretending that he hadn’t been listening in on the conversation from upstairs.

“I really wish you would have taken that bet. She just told me to act more like a lady so she could find me a man. So there’s definitely going to be suitors at the party” Veronica sighed with her head in her hands.

“Hmm... if you really still want that silver, I might know something you can do to earn it and stop any suitors from approaching you at the party tonight.” Remy tried to lift his sister’s mood a little, with a plan he knew would work. 

“What?” Veronica asked, suspicious but also very curious.

“I dare you a silver to wear this to the party tonight.” Remy threw some fabric Veronica’s way and when she saw what it was she grinned deviously from ear to ear. 

“Dare accepted.” She said, sticking out her hand for their secret handshake, which was just a normal handshake, but since nobody knew what their secret handshake was it could still count as a secret handshake.

That evening when Remy and Veronica walked down the big staircase that led to the room with most guests, the entire room fell silent. You could hear Veronica’s freshly earned silver coin drop, if she would have dropped it that is. No that coin was safely stored in the pocket of the pants Remy had given her to wear. Soon the room was filled with disapproving grunts until one shout rang over them. 

“Veronica Hecatia, you are in big trouble young lady!” Ooh her father used her second name. He was serious. 

“Take off those men’s clothes immediately!” Her mother almost shrieked from shock and disgust.

“I mean if you really want me to.” Veronica challenged her parents by moving her hands towards the waistband of her pants. 

“Don’t you dare show such indecency in front of our guests!” Her mother shouted at her. Veronica could see Remy trying to hold in his laughter out of the corner of her eye. “Selana!” Their mother shouted for the maid who’s name wasn’t Selana, but saying that would probably get her fired.

“Serena” Veronica whispered the maid’s name under her breath. 

“Make sure my daughter is properly dressed, before returning her to the party. We will discuss this behavior on a later date.” Veronica knew it wouldn’t be a discussion and that she would probably regret all of this when her punishment was due, but for now she was enjoying one of the best nights of her life.

“You really made them angry now, miss Veronica.” Serena warned her, but Veronica couldn’t care less, besides she had even gotten something out of all this. 

“Yeah, I know... it was worth it though.” Veronica said twirling her freshly earned silver coin between her fingers. Sure the money was nice, but doing these small things to annoy her parents was what really brought joy to the fourteen year old girl. 

Veronica twirled the silver coin in her hands, the metal gleaming in the light of the moon. Her surroundings dark as she had left the lights of the village behind her a while ago. After letting her magic carry her further into the night for a while, the sky on the horizon started to light up. But it wasn’t the sun coming up to greet the world and chase away the safe darkness the night generously supplied Veronica with. No Veronica was currently using the darkness to move herself south, towards a place she hoped to never visit or see ever again. The old shacks, the crazy people and the smell of despair were definitely not something she had missed, but there was still something that had drawn her to this place and she would fight for that something until the day she died.


	14. Breakfast at libraries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ooh who likes the very bad pun in the title? XD 
> 
> How will the group handle things a day after Patton has officially clocked out? Have they made the right decisions up to this point? Or has their moral compass led them astray?

The group existing out of both Lux and human members was once again sitting at one of the tables in the cafe of the library eating what was left of yesterday’s pastries. Luckily for them Patton always made too much for any situation so people could go for seconds or he could give something to the poor and homeless. Virgil knew that all too well and Patton had admitted to seeing him a few times and thus knowing about Virgil’s life on the streets before he moved in with Roman. He hadn’t told Logan though. And apparently that wasn’t the only thing he hadn’t told Logan. 

Now we’re on the topic of Patton and Virgil, both of them weren’t present at the table at the moment. Patton for obvious reasons and Virgil because he hadn’t gotten up from bed yet. 

Virgil had slept in the staffroom with the door closed, as he was still a little mad at the others for not wanting to help Patton and refused to share one of the three couches in the cafe with any of the others. Which kind of offended Roman, but he knew how stubborn Virgil could be. He also knew that Virgil was a light sleeper who could stay up late into the night and still wake up early. Yet he was the last one to show up for breakfast this morning and Roman couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

“Okay, that’s it! I’m dragging him out of bed... or from the staff couch...” he muttered mostly to himself as the bell in the town’s clocktower chimed eleven times.

“Roman please calm down.” Logan said reaching for the jam currently on Roman’s side of the table.

“Yeah babe, relax.” Remy agreed. Somehow gracefully stuffing a muffin in his mouth. 

“I’m sure Virgil just had a rough night. I don’t think any of us slept particularly well.” Logan explained his lack of concern, but it didn’t ease Roman’s concern. His gut was telling him that something wasn’t right.

“Speak for yourself! I slept like a baby.” Remy proudly exclaimed.

“Actually, baby’s, depending on their age, usually wake up multiple times throughout the night for food.” Logan corrected him... well tried to...

“Your point is?” Remy’s eyebrow rose to above his sunglasses as he took another bite of his sweet, not meant for breakfast, cupcake.

“We should probably do some food shopping today. We can’t live on old Bland pastries forever.” Logan emphasized the word bland as if the pastries and other baked goods had physically hurt him. 

“Although these pastries are absolutely delicious.” Logan shot Remy a glare. “Specks does have a point there. The two of us should probably get some more food.”

“Why do you two get to go?” Roman whined.

“Roman, darling, Inside this barrier you’re relatively safe. Out there D. can easily get to you.” Roman looked unimpressed. “It’s also probably best to not let anyone go out there alone since D. has seen that all of us are involved.” 

“He hasn’t seen Virgil.” Roman tried, but to be fair he hadn’t seen Virgil today yet either. 

“Wel I could take Virgil out with me too of course. Make a nice walk into town, I can show him some beautiful places in the nearby forest too, but something tells me you wouldn’t like that.” Remy was serious now. He hated it when he had to be, but he was the oldest. He always had to be the oldest. 

“You can send out Virgil on his own. He knows his way around and can easily get in and out of places without being seen.” Roman build his case without spilling that Virgil had lived on the streets and he was pretty proud of himself for that. Unfortunately Remy still didn’t agree with him. 

“And he could make a run for it! Or maybe he’ll accidentally run into Patton or D. and what do you think they would do to your dear boyfriend if there’s nobody around to protect him!” Remy shouted in a belittling tone, as he knew that Roman had no idea what he was dealing with here.

“Can the two of you please get along for two seconds! Remy and I will go to the marketplace and come right back after getting what we need. You Roman, can wake up Virgil and make sure he gets some breakfast. I know that he can be a difficult eater when he’s anxious.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Roman had seen Virgil skip food multiple times when he was anxious. 

“Well, Anxiety can often contribute to-“ Logan started to explain how anxiety could influence someone’s eating habits, but Roman wasn’t having it. 

“Don’t! I didn’t mean that literally, Doctor Booksmart ” He said, before giving in. “Fine you go get food. I’ll wake dark and dreary.” 

“Hey Virge. You up? Do you wanna come out?” Virgil I know you’re a light sleeper wake up! 

“Virgil?” Roman opened the door and was shocked by the sight. Not because the staffroom was a mess, no quite the opposite. The room looked like it hadn’t even been slept in! There was no blanket on the couch, instead it lay neatly folded on a table. Virgil’ satchel was gone and... so was Virgil. Nothing in that room showed that he had even been in there! 

“Very funny Virge. Stormcloud? Darkling?” Roman let his words bounce on the wall for a bit, while his discomfort grew. Why wasn’t Virgil answering? Why did it seem like Virgil hadn’t slept here? If Virgil hadn’t slept here then where was he?

After clearing the staff room, Roman looked around in the cafe and the kitchen. Maybe Virgil had sneaked out to get some food and they just hadn’t noticed? When Roman found nothing in the kitchen he expanded his search to the library. He first went to the sections of books he thought Virgil liked. Astronomy, geography, history, conspiracy theories and horror stories, from both the fiction and non fiction category. When Virgil wasn’t there either, the uneasy feeling Roman had could only grow. Where was he? Next Roman searched the sections Virgil didn’t like at all. Fairytales, handwork manuals, astrology, romance novels and of course, books about witches and witchcraft. Roman had been running up and down the library for at least half an hour by now and Virgil was still nowhere to be seen. Roman started to shout out Virgil’s name louder by the minute, but the library remained quiet around him, like Roman was the only person in there.

“Virgil? VIRGIL?! VIRGILLLLLL?” VIiiiiiiRGE?” Roman was still looking for Virgil by the time Remy and Logan returned. He felt like he had turned the library upside down multiple times now and although Virgil was nowhere to be seen, he couldn’t give up and accept that Virgil was probably gone.

“Roman, what on earth are you doing?” Logan asked, carefully placing the bag filled with groceries down on a table that usually was only meant to read books on. 

“Virgil is missing! He isn’t in the staffroom, or the cafe, or the library or the bathrooms! He’s just gone.” Roman explained out of breath from running around for so long. 

“That’s impossible. If he left the library I would have felt him cross the barrier...” Remy suddenly realized something that might explain Virgil’s disappearance and that something definitely wasn’t in his favor. “oh dear Hecate...” he sighed, earning him a weird and mostly confused look from both Roman and Logan. 

“Seeing how that’s my mother, you saying that is really weird.” Roman voiced his thoughts and Remy couldn’t blame him for saying that. It would probably be really weird if others spoke of your mother as if she were some kind of god... but she kinda was.

“Remy, you seem to know more about this.” Logan stated in a questioning tone to get the conversation back on track.

“Well... I might have opened the barrier up for a split second yesterday night...” Remy said a little ashamed, but his normal confidence was still present to an extent. 

“What why?! I thought you kept it up so D. couldn’t come back.” Roman was already panicking. What if D. or Patton had come back and had took Virgil with them? He couldn’t help but worry about that, even though nothing in the library had pointed towards Virgil being taken away by force. Maybe he was unconscious when they took him? But that didn’t explain why Virgil’s bag was gone as well...

“Yes and I’m still doing that... I was just letting someone through that really wants to stay out of all this.” Remy defended his actions. 

“Virgil?” Roman asked almost hopeful. At least then he would know that Virgil left voluntarily. 

“Veronica...” Remy admitted. He guessed he couldn’t keep her completely out of this after all.

“Your sister Veronica?” Logan inquired.

“No my uncle! Of course my sister!” Remy sassed back. What kind of stupid question was that. What other Veronica would be in the library when it was closed? ... Okay maybe it was a fair question as Veronica shouldn’t have been there in the first place, but still!

“What was she doing here?” Logan asked. He was certain that he remembered Remy saying that Veronica apparently had ran away from the witch they called D.

“She noticed an increase in energy when we were training in here and got trapped when D. left and I put up the barrier. She just wanted to have nothing to do with this, with D...” 

“Why would she not? They seemed to be close before. How do you know she won’t go back to him, like D. said?” Logan asked again as he was starting to think that maybe Veronica wasn’t as innocent in this as Remy believed she was. Remy had proven to be a bad judge of character before. 

“I know my sister. With the way he treated her, she won’t go back.” Remy said, mainly to convince himself. Veronica and him were partners in crime from a young age, they were twins for Hecate’s sake! He knows his twin sister! Sure she liked some of the freedoms Deceit had given her, compared to their parents, but she wouldn’t accept being owned by someone. Definitely not by a man, who only craved power! She hated that. When they were younger she would go through great lengths to avoid all of that. Deceit hadn’t broken her, like she said he’d broken Patton. Veronica was honest to him... she had to be...

“I hope your trust isn’t misplaced.” A silence fell over the three once Logan had said that. A silence that made it clear that they were done talking about Veronica’s intentions. Still there was a question burning on Roman’s lips that he couldn’t bare not to ask. 

“What has all this got to do with Virgil? You think Veronica took him with her or something?” He asked, trying, and failing, to sound nonchalant. 

“I think he might have sneaked out, when the barrier was down so I wouldn’t notice.” Remy answered. He hadn’t seen Veronica kidnapping anyone if that’s what Roman was suggesting, but the barrier had definitely been down long enough for someone to sneak out unnoticed. 

“Oh...” Both Roman and Logan sighed as they realized how big of a possibility this actually was. Virgil was quite agile and he could move around without making much sound. It was definitely possible. 

“I don’t understand... why would he just leave? Where would he go?” 

“How would I know?! Maybe he wanted to bring some cookies to his grandma in the forest?” Remy answered Roman’s question sarcastically. And although Roman appreciated the Little Red Riding Hood reference, Virgil wouldn’t have. And this was about Virgil. Virgil who cared for his friends and wouldn’t just abandon them... oh shit. 

“Patton...” he softly said as realization dawned on him. 

“What about him?” Logan asked bitterly.

“He wanted to save Patton!” Roman said, louder now. Realization really hitting him square in the face now. 

“Do you actually think he went out alone? He doesn’t even know where to go.” Logan tried to logic his way out of their current predicament, but logically it was the only reason for Virgil’s sudden disappearance. That or kidnapping which was highly unlikely to go unnoticed by Remy. 

“He could be anywhere by now, though. And I’m not bringing you to D. without knowing for certain that Virgil is there. It’s too dangerous.” Remy stated to protect Roman. He wasn’t doing all of this only to lose the person he was supposed to protect! He might as well have stayed in bed if that happened. 

“What about Virgil?! Isn’t it dangerous for him?” Roman looked at Remy with big eyes. Almost begging him to find Virgil before anything could happen to him, but Remy didn’t share his concern.

“I doubt he finds the camp. It’s many miles from here. He’ll come back once he realizes that he doesn’t know where to go.” Remy tried to calm Roman down. 

“I hope so...” Roman muttered, feeling like a kicked puppy. 

“All we can do now is continue with your training.” Remy said before sending a ball of energy flying at Roman’s face. “Think fast!” And Roman did, because for the first time since they had started training, Roman actually caught the energy and sent it back into Remy’s stomach. Remy was just in time to catch it himself and for the first time he had hope that Roman could maybe come out of this all alive. Now let’s hope Virgil won’t do anything stupid...


	15. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING!  
> This chapter contains:  
> \- manipulative/abusive behavior   
> \- implied sexual content with dubious consent (no actually smut) 
> 
> Read with caution!

Deceit had been planning how to punish Patton for messing up with the tea yesterday for a while now. If he was honest it wasn’t Patton’s fault, but when was a man literally named Deceit ever honest? Patton was weak, he whined a lot and he was actually hurt because he had to betray his ‘friends’. Ha, friends. Who needed friends anyway? Besides, those people were never supposed to be Patton’s friends. They were his cover. The reason he had for coming back to that town after it was conformed to Deceit that the town was indeed the one were Hecate’s son lived. 

Four careful knocks sounded on Deceit’s door. An odd pattern. One he hadn’t heard in forever and any soul that was stupid enough to purposely imitate that knock would meet the devil that owned their soul a lot sooner than they would like. Preferably after dying a slow and painful death for reminding him of the one person that had been able to slip out of his grasp. 

“What?!” Deceit shouted as he opened the door with a lot more force than necessary. The sight was definitely not what he expected to see even after the distinct knock. 

In front of him stood the woman he lost over ten years ago. Long black hair perfectly framing her face, bangs hanging over her eyebrows, the dark contrasting her emerald eyes, perfectly capable of making the cracks of black so small that they were invisible for those who didn’t know they should be there in the first place. Underneath her eyes was a button nose with freckles sprinkled over the bridge and delicate lips that Deceit wanted to smash against his own, but maybe not right now.... She was still wearing that same cloak she had stolen from her parents years ago, the once luxurious fabric now ripped and worn. Underneath she wore a black tunic, black boots, a brown leather satchel and black pants... How could he forget her obsession with wearing pants? That just wouldn’t do. However before he could say anything about her fashion choices she spoke up. 

“Hello Deceit.” She greeted him hesitantly, as if she was testing the waters. They hadn’t seen each other for quite a while after all. Or... well... he hadn’t seen her in quite a while. She had still seen him when she was hidden away in the shadows.

“Veronica.” He greeted her back stiffly, because even if he wanted to do little more than kissing the woman in front of him senseless, he didn’t know what her motives were and this could end up badly. There weren’t many people Deceit was afraid of, but the twins definitely topped the list and after just slipping away from Remy... Deceit had no idea if Remy and Veronica had gotten back in touch after she left him. Maybe the Lux had sent out his sister to lure him out. He had to stay on high alert. At least for now.

“So... I heard you were hunting down a certain Lux.” Veronica said after a silence that lasted a little too long for her comfort.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Deceit lied in response. His tone was dripping with sarcasm as his amber eyes stared into Veronica’s as if they were searching for something. 

Veronica knew exactly what he was searching for. Motive. Why was she here? Why come back after so many years? Why would she choose him over her brother? 

“That’s what I thought.” She huffed in response to his obvious lie. Both of them could lie very well, but only Deceit had the tendency to lie even if he knew the person he lied to already knew the truth. “I might have something of interest to you.” She smirked.

“And what might that be, Veronica?” Deceit took the bait. Too curious not too. 

“His boyfriend.” Veronica’s smirk grew as Deceit’s eyes lit up with fire. He knew Veronica had just given him a ticket back into the game and he would be a fool to let this opportunity pass by. 

“Pleasssse do come in.” Deceit let Veronica pass him to walk into the shack, that had been his home ever since he had started this camp, and closed the door behind her. “Now I do hope you understand that I can’t trust you just like that.” He said with an evil glint in his eyes that would send shivers over anyone’s back. But if it did for Veronica, she didn’t show it. 

“Same goes for me.” She spoke calmly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

“So, why are you back?” Deceit inquired, raising his eyebrow and sitting down on a chair akin to a throne, embellished with golden swirls on the dark wood. 

“Straight to the point, that’s nothing for you Dee.” Veronica teased in a way that was almost natural for her by now. Even after all those years. She remained standing, knowing better as to sit down without permission. 

“Answer the question Veronica.” Deceit wasn’t in the mood for teasing, he was starting to get into the mood for something else, but business should go first.

“I came to realize something.” Veronica began her explanation, leaving a pause for dramatic effect.

“And what’s that?” Deceit didn’t like dramatic pauses, at least not done by others than himself. 

“I missed you. I missed you and me together, fighting against those stuck up Lux that treated me so badly before you got me out of there.” Veronica chuckled innocently. “I never suspected how low I would fall when I walked away from all the status and opportunities I had here.” She paused again, but this time to think what was the best way to continue. “I’ve lived on the streets for a while that’s where I first met him.”

“Who? The Lux?” Deceit asked intrigued. If Veronica knew that Lux, maybe she could do what Patton couldn’t.

“No. The boyfriend.” That’s a shame. ”I had seen the boy living on the streets before they started dating, and when he decided to follow me out of the library, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.” She smirked. “Still can’t believe how the great son of Hecate fell for a low life beggar.”

“No soul worth sacrificing... that’s a shame.” The devil wouldn’t give much for a mere beggar, no matter who the boyfriend is. No the Devil wanted that Lux dead and Deceit would get so much power that he would never have to sell another soul again. Not that that would stop him. 

“I have an idea, though. Something we could do with him. If you’d let me.” Veronica moved to stand over Deceit. Her hands on the armrests of his chair. 

“Prove that you’re worth my trust.” Deceit stood up, pushing Veronica’s body out of his space with his own, but not too far. 

“What can I do to prove I’m on your side, sir?” She asked in a sultry voice.

“There’s this kid, Patton, who messed up. Could have killed that Lux by now if it wasn’t for his clumsiness. You might remember him as Blue.” Deceit told Veronica drawing with his finger over her jaw. 

“I remember him.” She stated, matter of factly. 

“Punish him for me to prove you’ll do whatever I say.” Deceit purred in her ear.

“No.” 

“Veronica...” Deceit’s tone was threatening. He didn’t accept a no in this situation. Not without a very good explanation for the disobedience.

“I’ve seen everything happening. That boy was innocent and you know it.” Veronica spit back. She still was one of the only Umbra that dared to speak up against Deceit. 

“So you saw it all happen and didn’t do anything about it?” Deceit asked curiously. Why come here now? Why not help them back in there. With three Umbra they would have been able to beat those Lux and their human friend.

“I had to keep my cover or Remy would never let me go.” That was true. If Remy had seen her fight with Deceit again, things wouldn’t have ended very pretty for her. Especially if she hadn’t been able to discuss a plan with Deceit before the fight would start. “Let me take Blue’s punishment. I was the one who ran away for no good reason, other then an emotional outburst.”

“Aw Veronica. You always had a weak spot for him.” Deceit cooed, before his voice turned straight up sinister. “You’ gonna regret it!” 

“Please spare my face.” Veronica said calmly as if Deceit hadn’t just threatened to hurt her. “I do want to seem somewhat intimidating when I break that Lux’ hopes and dreams.” A mischievous twinkle in her eyes told Deceit everything he needed to know. He had his Veronica back and he would make sure to never let her go again.

“How I missed you my little Shadowling.” He purred before hitting Veronica’s cheek. “Don’t worry sweetie.” He said, slowly caressing the spot he just hit, his mark on her face, of a two headed snake, now made visible by his touch. “This will be the only hit up here darling. I wouldn’t want to ruin such a pretty face.” 

Deceit removed Veronica’s satchel and cloak. Her tunic followed soon after and before she knew it she stood there, in front of Deceit in only some shoes, pants and underwear. 

“My my, Veronica. What Lux managed to get his hands on you?” Deceit said trailing his hands over some burn marks on her skin. 

“Just an over enthusiastic Remy. Nothing sexual if that’s what you’re thinking.” She replied, shivering from Deceit’s touch and the cold morning air that made it’s way through the shack’s walls. 

“Good. You know how I hate to share what’s mine.” Deceit growled in her ear, before basically pouncing her. He wouldn’t let her out of his ‘office’ for a while.


	16. Illusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman arrives home to an unpleasant surprise...
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS:  
> These warnings apply to this chapter:  
> \- fighting   
> \- torture (emotional and physical)  
> \- (deathly) injury  
> \- death  
> \- (small) mental breakdown
> 
> Stay save!   
> Sorry not sorry... I’ve wanted to write this chapter for a while.

The group couldn’t stay in the library forever and Logan couldn’t keep the doors, of that same library, closed for the public for much longer either. So Roman and Remy moved to Roman’s house. Big mistake. Especially since that meant a barrier still had to be set up.

Roman was the first to arrive at his house as Remy still wanted to grab some things they might need from his home. Roman had been getting a lot better at defending himself and Remy thought it was safe enough to leave him alone for a while as it was unlikely that Deceit himself would show up and Roman could probably fight off most of Deceit’s henchmen by now. Big mistake 2. As most wasn’t all. 

When Roman walked into his house, something felt wrong. His eyes scanned the room and although nothing looked misplaced at first glance, something still seemed different. Then he realizes it. The mirror that had cracked a few weeks ago when a potion bottle exploded, miraculously seemed to have repaired itself. Roman walked inside, towards the mirror. He remembered how Virgil had laughed at him for adding too much salt and teased him by saying how he now had 7 years of bad luck. 

The memory made Roman chuckle to himself, but at the same time he felt sad and guilty, he just wanted to protect Virgil... why did he have to run away? And why hadn’t he come back yet? Roman touched the mirror, which caused the illusion, that had made the room almost exactly look like it used to when Roman had last seen it, to break. Big mistake 3. 3 strikes and Roman’s out. 

From behind him Roman could hear muffled screaming. That was the first thing that shocked him out of his thoughts. He saw the broken mirror in front of him, that only a second ago was still intact. Now it had more cracks than ever before and some pieces of glass were missing. Just as if... as if someone had been pushed against it with great force. In the reflection of the remaining pieces Roman saw the source of the muffled screaming. 

He quickly turned around, but not too fast to take in his surroundings. The furniture was moved around and one chair was knocked over. If the chandelier had been part of his normal furniture as well, it would have probably hit the ground like in The Phantom of the Opera, not that Roman would know about that. 

When Roman faced the wall he was met with the terrified gaze of Virgil, bound against the wall by dark shadows encasing his body and wrapped around his mouth so his screams were nothing more than quiet high pitched sounds of despair. 

His eyes shifting from Roman to something behind him. Someone behind him. Roman ran towards Virgil not caring about anything but getting Virgil out of there. Virgil screamed, but that didn’t slow Roman down. He could almost reach Virgil now. He just had to stretch out his arm.

Roman didn’t notice, as the curtains were drawn and it was rather dark, but the shadows were constantly moving. Some of them were even moving towards him. Slowly closing the distance until-

“Ah.” Roman groaned as the shadows wrapped themselves around his torso and pulled him away from Virgil. He struggled to free himself, but it wasn’t working. He didn’t even had time to think of a spell he could have used before he was slammed into a chair and the shadows bound him to the wood. 

“Why hello there, little Lux. How nice of you to drop by. Please make yourself at home.” A female voice spoke from behind him in a condescending tone. Roman was sure that if he followed Virgil’s petrified gaze it would land on whatever horrible creature was behind him. 

It had to be Umbra, seeing as it used dark shadow magic. Maybe it didn’t even look human anymore? Maybe it looked like a lion, or a gargoyle or maybe a dragon! Now that would be something scary! A dragon witch! Still Roman couldn’t show that he was scared! He had to save the person he had failed to protect. His boyfriend. Virgil. 

“Make myself at home? This is my home! And you are trespassing!” Roman shouted out in a flash of bravery. 

“What are you gonna do about it, Romano?” Veronica teased, clearly not scared by Roman’s macho behavior. 

“It’s Roman.” Roman said annoyed. He struggled against his bounds, but they weren’t budging. 

“And I’m Veronica. Nice to finally make acquaintance with you, son of Hecate.” Veronica put her hands on Roman’s shoulders. He could feel the cold coming from them, seeping through his clothes, similar to that of the shadows surrounding him, but somehow even colder.

“You know, when I was younger my parents always told me stories about your mother. How she was there when Hades was chased out of the underworld by the Devil, because he wanted a place to rule for himself. It made me root for your mother, Roman. Made me believe she did the right thing when she transformed an Umbra into a Lux for the first time. But times changed.” She chuckled nervously. “I changed too. Turns out I didn’t get to work on your mom’s side. No. I operate on the side of Deceit, who gets his orders from the Devil himself. And now the devil’s put a price on your head.”

“You could still switch sides!” Roman said in an overly confident voice. Too confident. Fake confident. “I’m sure my mom wouldn’t mind an Umbra working for her!” 

“You’re just saying that to save your own ass.” Veronica whispered in his ear. Calling him out on his lies. “You will never trust an Umbra enough to fight alongside one.” 

“They haven’t exactly given me a reason to trust them on my side, yet.” Roman argued, clearly referring to Patton betraying his trust earlier. 

“Oh but Roman, I agree. Sometimes you don’t choose the side you fight for. That side chooses you, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. That’s how I knew you were lying.” Veronica explained a little too nonchalantly. 

“Says you! I wonder what Remy would think of this! You’re betraying your own brother!” Roman was throwing out all the stops, but he wasn’t even sure what he exactly was trying to do anymore. He just wanted to get out of here and get to Virgil, who was constantly shooting him scared looks. 

“I’ve done worse than stealing his shiny new toy.” Roman let out a squeak followed by some sounds that Virgil would usually describe as offended Princey noises.

Finally Veronica walked in front of Roman and she wasn’t anything like he had been suspecting. She was one of the most gorgeous creatures he had ever seen. She looked slightly familiar, and yet completely different. Roman guessed it was because she looked like Remy, they were twins after all. Not like he thought that Remy was drop dead gorgeous! No he would never think that of another man! Veronica however was a woman (wow really?!), and Roman wasn’t sure if he had ever been this attracted to a woman before. The only thing that was offsetting to Roman was the snake tattoo on ger cheek. That couldn’t mean anything good... not that any of this could mean anything good.

“Like what you see, Princey?” Veronica asked with a cocky smirk. She looked him into the eyes and... damn those green eyes. If the situation had been different, Roman could drowned in those emerald pools. They had something dark within them. Something mysterious. Again it was somewhat familiar and yet completely strange to Roman. They probably looked a lot like Remy’s but it’s not like Roman had been longingly staring into Remy’s eyes or something! Wait was he doing that to Veronica right now? 

What the hell Roman?! Stop that! Virgil is right there! And he is in trouble!! Get it together! 

Roman started to think back on his training with Remy... a little late, but rather late than never. He focused his energy on his hands and soon enough the shadows started to break around him, as the light increased. 

Veronica wasn’t stupid, she saw what he was doing, but decided to give him his little victory. That would only make it harder on him when she absolutely crushed him. 

As soon as Roman was free he pounced on her, but she simply disappeared in a cloud of darkness, before appearing next to Virgil. 

“I see Remy has been training you.” She chuckled. Clearly not faced by Roman’s attacks on her. If anything she had been expecting it. Counting on it even.

“Hmph what gave it away?” Roman scoffed, turning towards her.

“You fight like a rich Lux.” She explained, still chuckling. 

“What’s that's supposed to mean?” Roman asked the Umbra that was dangerously close to his boyfriend right now. 

“Like you’ve never actually been in a fight with actual consequences before.” Veronica answered, trailing a finger over Virgil’s jaw to wipe away a tear, before Roman shot a ball of light towards her, that she dodged by once again disappearing into the shadows. “Oh and very predictable.”

“Aaaah” Roman cried out in frustration. He started actually casting a spell, but Veronica was way ahead of him. Slamming her hand into the crook of his elbow, she disrupted his spell. The magic clinking on the ground like a bowl of beads was tipped over. 

“Come on. This is too easy.” “Let’s raise the stakes a little.” Veronica’s eyes grew dark, soon her irises were completely black, she was using magic, but didn’t direct it towards Roman. 

An agonizing scream came from where Virgil was pinned to the wall and Roman could see the skin under Virgil’s eyes grow darker and darker. The darkness spread over his face in veiny patterns. The skin between the dark veins looked paler than ever. 

“What are you doing to him?!” Roman shouted at Veronica. He was starting to panic now. Afraid of what would happen if he couldn’t get her to stop.

“I’m basically killing him. Slowly.” Veronica explained as if she was talking about the weather, but with a mischievous glint in her eyes, like she could also control that same weather. 

“Stop that right now!” Even Roman thought that that didn’t sound very convincing.

“Or what?” Roman charged again, this time only just missing Veronica.

“If you want to save him then stop fighting like a Lux! Do you honestly believe you have a chance against Deceit like this?” Veronica scolded Roman on his behavior. 

“I am a Lux! How else am I supposed to fight.” Roman asked confused.

“Listen up Lux. I’ve seen my brother train to fight like a Lux, he’s training you the same way. I’m just telling you that if you want to win, you should fight dirty. Deceit isn’t gonna fight fair and you know it.”

“Dirty... Like an Umbra?” Roman asked with a little bite. 

“If that’s how you want to see it sure, but Roman... I would hurry up if I were you.” Veronica directed Roman’s attention back to Virgil, who was struggling against Veronica’s magic. “I know to fight like a Lux, you should learn how to fight like an Umbra.” Was Veronica actually giving him some advice?

Roman thought about Veronica’s words for a second as he looked at Virgil who was barely able to stay conscious by now. 

He let his magic flow back to his hand, but he didn’t shoot it at Veronica. He held it there, contained, inside his hand. While Veronica was trying to plan out what Roman’s next move would be, he shown the light in Veronica’s eyes, momentarily blinding her. Then with his other hand he grabbed her throat, while he brought his other hand down to punch her in the gut with his hand and his magic. 

She flew back into the wall, sliding down to the ground and she just laid there, breathing heavily and clutching her stomach. 

While Veronica was hyperventilating on the ground, Roman made his way to Virgil, who had lost consciousness by now. The darkness had taken over most of his face and neck, the rest of his body probably looked the same, but was hidden by his clothing and the shadows still pinning him to the wall. 

Roman was close. He could almost touch Virgil as, out of nowhere, a big dark spike emerged from the shadows around Virgil’s torso. To Roman’s despair the spike seemed to go through Virgil’s body as there was blood and torn skin and whatever else that Roman didn’t want to know, sticking to it.

“Not dirty enough.” Veronica chuckled between breathless coughs. Roman’s gaze tore away from his dea... no he couldn’t think that... his boyfriend. His totally still alive boyfriend, who is not dea... not dead.

Roman reached out to touch Virgil’s face, but as he did, Virgil disappeared into the shadows. He turned around to Veronica, but she only smirked at him with something unreadable in her eyes. Petty? Guilt? Roman didn’t know. He didn’t care. Rage filled his mind and kept him from thinking logically. He rushed towards Veronica with a loud battle cry. He was ready to kill her.

“My work is done.” Veronica grimaced as she too disappeared into the shadows, before Roman could get to her. 

Roman fell onto his knees in the middle of his messy living room. He started crying. Loud and ugly. He wished and prayed to every deity he knew that this hadn’t just happened. That everything had just been a bad daydream or an illusion, like the repaired mirror had been, but he knew it was unrealistic. Even if his mother was an actual goddess, she couldn’t change time, couldn’t undo what had just transpired. 

“Roman, babes! You’ll never believe what just happened! So I left my house to get here and suddenly...” Remy fell silent as he looked at the state of Roman’s living room... and Roman himself. He could never stay quiet for long, though. “What in Hecate’s name has happened here?!” 

“You’re sister happened.” Roman spat at Remy. The anger he felt towards Veronica now redirected towards her twin. They looked like each other after all. Was this why some things about Veronica seemed so familiar? 

“Veronica? Wha- what did she do?” Remy asked hesitantly. He had a feeling that he’d rather not know the answer to that question. 

“Oh I don’t know?! She apparently wrecked my living room while trying to catch Virgil. Caught him and kept him tied against the wall until I came back only to FUCKING KILL HIM in front of me and then taking him with her, disappearing into nothingness, before I could even touch him one last time!” Roman broke down again, leaving Remy standing there, not really sure what to do.

“That’s rough, buddy...” He eventually settled on saying. Definitely not his proudest moment.

“You said we could trust her, that she would stay out of this!” Roman shouted between his sobs, blaming Remy. Not that Remy could have known this would happen. 

“I thought she would...” he sighed. He really believed Veronica had bettered her life. He really believed her when she said she had left Deceit. Why would she do this on her own, though?

“She works for D. she admitted it. Saying his full name out loud.” Roman answered the question Remy’s hadn’t asked out loud. 

“We might be in more trouble than I thought...” Remy thought out loud.

“You’d think? That bitch KILLED MY BOYFRIEND!” Anger and sadness kept following each other up as Roman was having a mental breakdown. He just lost the love of his life and he hadn’t even been able to say goodbye. 

“She’s still my sister. But this... this is unacceptable.” Remy actually agreed with Roman’s statement. Veronica had gone too far.

“What... what are we gonna do now?” Roman asked as he sat down on his couch, defeatedly, he put his feet on the table and just stared up at the ceiling.

“You are going to bed. Try to sleep a little. I will scan the place for Umbra and put up another barrier and-“ Remy stopped mid-sentence as he suddenly noticed something weird about the way Roman was sitting now. “Why are your feet floating?” He asked, wondering if Roman just thought this was a comfortable position or...

“What?” Roman asked confused. His feet were clearly resting on something. He looked to his feet only to see that Remy was right. His feet weren’t touching the table. He pulled his legs up so he was hugging his knees and looked at his table. How did that happen?

Remy put his hand where Roman’s feet had been. With a little bit of magic he made the hidden object appear. It was a book of Lux spells. A book Roman recognized as it actually was one of the few spell books he owned. Even his name was written on the spine!

“This is one of my books. Why would it be hidden?” He asked confused as he grabbed the book from the table to look at it from all angles, without actually opening it. 

“I don’t know... but this was done with Umbra magic... and Veronica never does something without having a good reason to.” Remy said thoughtfully. 

“She had no reason to kill Virgil!” Roman countered, but he was already to emotionally tired to explode in anger again.

“Unless D. tells her to do it, then she’ll do it regardless... at least that’s how it used to be.”

“That’s how it is once again.” Roman countered again.

“I’m afraid you’re right.” Remy sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry Roman. And I’m not one to just throw that word around lightly. I’m really sorry for your loss. I really though Veronica had changed...” it was quiet for quite a while after that. Neither Lux sure of what to say, until Remy made up his mind.

“We’ll continue our training tomorrow. We should probably head back to the library tomorrow, too. Maybe Logan can take a look at the book for us to see why it might be important.” 

“Yeah...” Roman answered. Today’s events had completely drained him and he started to feel it now the adrenaline was fading away. 

“Try to sleep Roman.” Remy told Roman in such a way that Roman couldn’t say no, even if he wasn’t sure if he could sleep right now.

“I’ll try.” He answered. 

Roman fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. With Remy standing in his doorway, looking out for him... and mumbling a sleeping spell, seeing the spell that activated the enchanted milk, he had given Roman earlier, take effect as Roman’s body relaxed and his breathing slowed down.


	17. An emotional game of chess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan gets sucked into an emotional game of chess, with a great chess player as opponent. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING:  
> This chapter includes;  
> Emotional manipulation.

The sun had started to set and Logan was closing down the library for the day. He knew he should go home. He knew he should try to sleep on an actual bed and pick up having a normal life again... But how could he if everything in that house reminded him of Patton? 

In the library, Logan could avoid going back into the cafe. He could do his job, be surrounded by books al day, avoid answering questions about why Patton wasn’t there and the cafe wasn’t open... okay that one didn’t help... but once the library was closed there were no patrons that could ask such a thing. It was just Logan and his books. Maybe he should find a couch in one of the reading nooks and just sleep there. Avoid going home for a little longer. How had he let Patton into his life so easily back then? He wished letting go was just as easy, but wishing is foolish. It never changes the current situation. 

He was putting away the last books, placing them back onto the shelves, when he heard something. A raspy uneven sound, as if someone was having trouble breathing. Deep intakes of breath followed by too short puffs out. Someone was hyperventilating. 

No-one was supposed to be in the library but Logan. This was definitely an unsettling turn of events. Logan just hoped it wasn’t some homeless person that tried to sneak in for the night. Those had caused him some trouble before. He turned a corner and saw the source of the noise, laying on the couch he was planning on sleeping on tonight. 

The figure’s breath was still uneven, but they seemed to calm down a little. They were reading a book. Maybe to distract them from whatever had happened to leave them in such a panicking stage? 

“Excuse me, but the library is closed.” Logan eventually said, not sure what else to do. He was tired. 

“Oh I’m sorry, sir. I was just looking for a book.” The voice of an older woman spoke back. 

“You seemed to have found it.” Logan’s gaze landed on the book in the woman’s hands. He couldn’t see the title from here, as the sun had almost fully set by now and the library was growing dark, but it seemed to be one of the older books from his collection, maybe Greek or Latin? “I can help you check out the book, but I’m afraid you’ll have to leave afterwards.” 

“Would you do that for little old me?” The woman asked sweetly. “My my, what a lovely young gentleman you are.” 

“Thank you, ma’am.” Logan answered a bit sheepishly, not sure how to react to the woman’s compliment. “Right this way please.” The woman followed Logan maybe a little too fast for her age, but Logan couldn’t just throw around accusations. She could have had a very active and healthy lifestyle which caused her to still be very healthy and agile at an older age. She did seem to have something wrong with her stomach as she was holding her arm that wasn’t holding the book tightly against it. 

“Okay, I’m just going to need a name and address from you ma’am.” Logan said after looking if the book was damaged before it was checked out, so the woman wouldn’t get fined for damage that was already there. 

“Of course. My name is V. not Vi, V. yes just the letter.” The woman said as she looked at Logan writing down her name in his administration. 

“Okay...” Logan said, curiously looking up at ‘V.’ It would be difficult to track someone down, who only left their initials, if she wouldn’t return the book. At least he would still have her address. 

“And you don’t need to know where I live.” There was a hint of a smirk on the woman’s lips as she saw Logan’s eyes widening at her cheekiness. 

“Uhm... yes ma’am I do need to know that. It’s purely for administrative reasons. So that if the book isn’t brought in in time, I will know where it is and who hasn’t brought it back yet. Most libraries in the area use that same registration method.” Logan tried to ease the nerves V. might have had about giving away personal information, but it would be of no use.

“I’m sorry Logan, but I can’t tell you where I live. I don’t think that place actually has an address.” V. ended the game she had been playing with Logan in favor of getting this done with. After all she had to get that book from Logan no matter what. 

“I don’t remember telling you my name.” Logan asked. He was clearly getting suspicious now, but it was all part of the plan.

“And yet I told you mine. That’s a little rude don’t you think?” The woman playfully bit back.

“Apparently I didn’t need to.” Logan said a little lost in thought. How had she known his name? Did he know her? 

“But me taking the book without leaving an address should be fine. You do know my boyfriend after all.” V. almost cringed visibly when she said boyfriend. She wasn’t even sure if that was what they were. They used to be, but that was before she left... She thinks he wants her back, but...

“And who would that boyfriend be?” Logan unknowingly interrupted her thoughts.

“D.” Was her plain answer. No use beating around the bush now. 

“The? The what?” Logan found this woman very confusing. It was as if she was playing three games of chess at the same time and Logan wasn’t quite sure what match they were playing at this moment. 

“No, I was talking about the letter D, Logan.” The woman said, almost as if she regretted telling Logan that information. Like she was regretting whatever was ahead of them before it had even happened. Logan realized that he had been correct. She was playing chess... in a way. She was constantly thinking ahead, calculating what she could say to get her what she wanted. Whatever it was Logan decided that he wasn’t going to give it to her. 

Logan froze as the illusion faded away and the woman immediately looked about 40 years younger. She also looked a little like Remy and together with the mention of the two initials earlier and the snake tattoo, Remy had told them about earlier, on her cheek, Logan quickly realized who was in front of him. The most unsettling thing about the Umbra was probably the pity in her gaze. Pity for a human who couldn’t fight back. Logan realized that soon enough. He wouldn’t stand a chance against her, but that didn’t mean he was going to give in without a fight. 

“Veronica I assume.” He said coldly, trying, and actually succeeding pretty well, to not show his fear for the dangerous witch that he was currently alone in one space with. 

“Your assumption would be correct.” Veronica answered, scanning Logan’s face for a second, until they made eye contact and her eyes shifted away.

“Just checking out a book? Nothing more?” Logan asked, there had to be some other reason... if she really wanted that book she could have just taken it and magic-ed her way out of here. “If you are looking for Roman, or your brother, they’re not here.”

“I know. I paid them a visit earlier.” Veronica grimaced at the memory for some reason. “Right now I’m looking for a book.” She pushed the book she had been checking out to the side. “And you are going to help me find it.”

“I’m guessing the Aeneid wasn’t the book you were looking for.” Logan tried to keep his voice as calm and assertive as possible as he saw Veronica slowly slide the old book of the counter, without breaking eye contact. The action reminded him of a cat, but that shouldn’t be a surprise to him as cats were often associated with witches and he had learned from Roman that witches could even turn into the animal if they desired to do so. 

“Great epic, by one of Rome’s greatest poets, but it won’t help any side win this miniature war.” Veronica explained. Logan was almost sure there had to be some double meaning in there somewhere, but he couldn’t find it.

“What book are you looking for?” He feigned ignorance. Logan had his suspicions on the book Veronica was looking for. 

“Come on Logan. I know you’re smart. Take a guess!” Veronica prompted Logan, mainly because she wasn’t even sure if he had the book she was looking for. It just made sense for some reason that he would have it.

“A vegetarian cookbook?” Guessed sarcastically, unintentionally telling Veronica everything she needed to know. She could see it in his eyes. He was the keeper of Hecate’s hidden Lux mythology. 

“Hmm close, but no. I’ll give you a hint. It’s not part of your regular collection.” Veronica’s gaze was plainly predatory. She was playing with her food and Logan knew it.

“Well then you won’t find it in my library.” Logan kept up his stoic facade. Tried to keep Veronica away from the secret even Roman and Patton didn’t know about. But it was no use. He was going to slip up eventually.

“Logan... Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be.” Veronica sighed. 

“Why would I not?” You just admitted to being in a relationship with someone that wants my friend dead.” Something in Veronica’s face changed for a second. Her lips moved and gaze changed, but only for a short time, after that her gaze turned predatory and assertive again. “Why would I just hand you what you want? That would be illogical.” 

“Don’t do it for me. Do it for him.” Veronica wasn’t sure where she was going with that. Well... she was, but she wasn’t sure if this was going to work.

“Who? Roman? Wow... this man was either really good at playing oblivious, or he actually was. 

“Patton.” Veronica clarified. 

“Why would I give you an advantage over my friend for someone who has betrayed me before.” It would be a fair argument... for anyone but Logan. 

“Because you love him.” Veronica stated matter of factly.

“I don’t love him.” Logan growled back. Cracking his own facade beyond repair. 

Veronica slammed a box on the counter that was still separating the two, and glared at Logan with a mischievous grin on her face. “If you didn’t love him, then why do you have this?”

“It was in the trash bin for a reason.” Logan desperately tried to glue the pieces of his facade back together, as his eyes drilled holes into the ring box that contained the engagement ring he had been planning on giving to Patton someday. The ring had been in his pocket for weeks, until Patton betrayed all of them and he threw it out. Now it was there again. A sour reminder of his love for Patton.

“Because you’re in denial.” Veronica scattered the pieces back onto the ground.

“Because I fell out of love with him.” Logan argued back, but not with much confidence. 

“No you didn’t. You would be home by now if you did.... and you probably would’ve sold that ring by now instead of dramatically throwing it in the trash.” 

“I was making a point!” Logan shouted.

“No, you were upset and I’m sure he is too... I haven’t exactly talked to him yet, but... he’s not someone to fake loving someone.” 

“How would you know?” Logan’s eyes left Veronica’s face only to stare down at the counter, defeated. 

“I knew him when he was younger... he even managed to like me.” Veronica laughed at her own self deprecating humor “He has a big heart and I refuse to believe D. could have broken it beyond repair.” Her hands inching closer to Logan’s, but shying away from actually grabbing them. “If anyone broke his heart it was me. I probably was the closest thing to a friend he had, before I left.”

“So, you did leave.” Logan hadn’t expected her to just give personal information like that away. It didn’t add up with the part she had been playing up till now... or it didn’t and he just didn’t see the link. “You didn’t just make that up to get close to Remy again?”

“Yeah, I did leave.” She nodded. Taking a few deep breaths as Logan asked his next question.

“Why did you go back?” 

“There are some things I simply need to do. Like getting that book to help my boyfriend.” Logan noticed that she said the word ‘boyfriend’ more confidently than before, but didn’t comment on it.

“I’m not giving you the book Roman’s mother entrusted me.” He said instead, only realizing that he hadn’t actually told her he had the book until now, and apparently her game had worked. They were at check. Giving up the book would end up with a checkmate in Veronica’s favor. 

“Come on bookkeeper. I’m doing this for Patton.” Veronica kept playing on Logan’s heartstrings, just like she had done to Roman, only in a different way. Aggression wouldn’t work here. Logan had to be pushed in a different direction and she was close enough to push him off the edge. 

“I don’t care if you’re doing this for Patton. I’m not helping D. kill Roman.” Logan said, clearly getting frustrated.

“Logan. Like I said before, I know you’re smart. I could use a minimal amount of magic to keep you tied up against the wall while I tear this place apart looking for that book, or you realize that helping Patton doesn’t equal killing Roman.” Veronica moved her hands around, some shadows following her movements as her hand became encased in a black cloud.

“How does it not? Patton is clearly working for D. The same D. who currently wants to kill my best friend for no other reason then the identity of his mother. Apparently this book will somehow aid him in his quest. killing Roman would fulfill D’s wish and thus help Patton.” Logan couldn’t let her win, no matter what! She was playing him. He knew it from the start! 

“Getting Patton away from D, would be helping him.” Veronica grumbled under her breath, only just loud enough for Logan to hear. 

“I’m not telling you where that book is!” His volume a stark contrast to Veronica’s whisper that he had responded to. 

“Oh in Hecate’s name, Logan. Please!” Veronica’s eyes suddenly flared with a dark fire. Purple mist covered the irises, making the eyes look a dark brown, before the shadows grew so dark that they turned pitch black. 

Logan took a step back at Veronica’s outburst, but he quickly saw there was no real anger behind her eyes. Just... desperation?

“You are aware of the contents of that book, are you not?” He said hesitantly as one last attempt to stop Veronica from getting the book. To stop himself from giving it to her... she truly seemed to care about Patton... and he... he did too... he couldn’t deny that. If what she had been saying was true and this could save both Patton and Roman and bring everything back to the way it was... could Logan let emotions take over and follow his instincts instead of his logical thinking like he usually did? 

“Yes.” The passion in Veronica’s black eyes told Logan enough. 

“And you are confident this would... get Patton away from D. and will keep Roman alive.” He just needed to hear it from her one more time. 

“...yes? I mean no. I’m not sure... but it’s honestly our best bet.” Veronica seemed honest enough and yet somewhere in the back of Logan’s mind there was still a little voice of reason telling him not to trust her. It prompted him to ask one last question.

“And why would I trust you?” He straightened his back and folded his arms, staring straight in Veronica’s eyes that were slowly fading from black to brown to green again.

“Patton trusted me.” Veronica answered, which got quickly translated to checkmate by Logan’s brain. 

Logan seemed to think about it for a moment before he reached under the counter and grabbed a box, larger than the ring box already on there. 

“You should know that I cannot open this myself.” It was a last protection from Hecate that nobody could open the box, unless they knew the proper way to ask her to open it for them. 

“No problem.” Veronica said. She still remembered the words from when her teachers had taught them to her. Thinking back to that day she also remembered Remy falling asleep during that lesson... but that wasn’t important for now. 

“I highly doubt you can open it, it’s been locked with Hecate’s magic.” Logan told Veronica what she already knew. The chance it would open itself to her was small, but she had to try. She had to get that book out of that box.

“Then l will have to see if Hecate’s on my side tonight.” Veronica closed her eyes and sighed, preparing herself for disappointment as Hecate had never really listened to her prayers before. “Just remember missy, I’m doing this for your son too.” Her words were directed to Hecate, who she doubted would listen to her before she started the counter spell to open the box. She opened her eyes again and this time there wasn’t a speck of black apart from her pupils.

“What are you-” Logan asked as Veronica grabbed the box between her hands, but didn’t try to open it. She just cradled it, like a lover would cradle someones face before kissing them deeply. She started speaking before Logan could finish his question, but what she was saying definitely didn’t give him an answer. 

“Like apricity’s the warmth of light in winter, Lux brought light to the witching world and warmth to the hearts of those lost to the dark. Their history and most powerful ways written in this book, locked away by Hecate herself so they would never fall into the hands of someone who wished to use them for harm.” Veronica took a moment to take a deep breath calming her nerves. Was she really going to do this? Was she really going to ask Hecate for a favor as big as this? She shouldn’t ask her for any favor at all! She might have been born to become a Lux, but she was an Umbra now! She couldn’t... she had to... “Goddess Hecate I, Veronica Hecatia, daughter of duke Andor and duchess Verona of Boroë, descendent of the first Lux, Thasos, hereby ask you to open the box and grant access to the mysteries that lay inside. May they be used to chase away the shadows with your light.”


	18. Some books hold clues, others hold answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does Veronica manage to open the book? 
> 
> And what are the consequences of her actions?

“May they be used to chase away the shadows with your light.” Oh the irony of that sentence when it’s spoken by an Umbra. It was part of the spell, Veronica knew that, but still! Even Logan looked at her like he didn’t know what to think about the things she just said.

Hecate probably wouldn’t be very happy with an Umbra calling on her for help. If she had even decided to listen to Veronica in the first place... what if she would use this moment to come down from the sky and just kill Veronica on the spot?! Her hands were stuck to the box so she couldn’t exactly move... oh shit! Her hands were fucking stuck to the box! Why couldn’t she move them anymore? 

The box lit up and the warmth burned on Veronica’s skin. Her hands felt like they were going to burn straight of off her arms and the burning sensation spread upwards quickly. She was definitely going to die here. Let’s hope the box would open and this all wouldn’t be in vain. 

The light dimmed and the feeling of skin burning stopped immediately. When the light was dim enough Veronica looked down at her arms, that, if they had actually been burned earlier, didn’t show any sign of it. In her hands she was holding Hecate’s book. She carefully moved her arm, surprised when it didn’t even hurt, and opened the book. 

Veronica scanned some of the pages, amazed at the way it looked and the information it held. She had never expected to ever hold or even see it and now it was here in her hands. Hecate had believed her and had given her access, yet she was still wondering if the goddess hadn’t misplaced her trust. 

Logan looked at the book with just as much wonder in his eyes as Veronica. He too had never expected to ever see what was in the box and could only hoop the contents of the book would be used to save Patton and Roman as Veronica had promised. 

“What are you planning on using the book for.” He asked curiously. 

“You’ll see in time, Specks.” The witch answered with a wicked grin that frightened Logan a little. It definitely made him doubt whether he had made the right decision. 

A flash of light could be seen at the entrance of the library, the suddenness of it all made Veronica drop the book onto the ground. She knew exactly what this meant and she definitely hadn’t expected Remy and Roman to calm down from her attack that soon. She had done were she had came for though. She was sure they could figure out the rest.

“Logan, are you alright?” Roman shouted from the entry of the library. Apparently he had teleported in somewhere near the door. 

“Gurl, we saw some weird light show coming from here, so you better be in here and if someone else is causing this I will fight you!” Oh and Remy was there too, of course. In that case Logan could tell him his sister was here opening some magical book, apparently trying to help them. 

“I’m at the counter with-“ his own hand was slammed in front of his mouth as Veronica quickly ducked to grab her book and disappeared. As soon as she was gone, Logan could move his arm back down. 

“With what?” Roman asked clearly suspicious, it was nothing for Logan to just shut up mid sentence... unless someone shut him up. His pace towards Logan’s voice quickened a bit.

“More like who. Veronica was here.” Logan explained, while looking at his hand. Interesting, she had somehow managed to manipulate his hand and arm... That was definitely some handy information to have. Shit! Luckily Patton wasn’t there and he wouldn’t been able to read his mind anyway. Nobody would ever have to know about this unintentional pun. 

“Oh my god! Logan are you alright?!” Roman was running towards his friend now, until he almost collided with the counter. He slammed his hands on the wood to stop his momentum and immediately turned his gaze to Logan’s face, to see if he was hurt.

“Uhm yes? Why wouldn’t I be?” Logan saw no reason as to why something should be wrong with him. Sure, Veronica had definitely been messing with his mind a little, but he didn’t necessarily saw it as a negative. 

“What did she want?” Remy asked once he had caught up with Roman. He had his sunglasses on which left his expression nearly unreadable, but his tightly pressed lips gave away that he was tense.

“A book.” Logan answered, making his way from behind the counter. It makes no sense to keep that barrier between them, when they’re just talking to each other as friends. “Why wouldn’t I be alright? Sure, she can probably be dangerous, but she seemed reluctant to use any magic against me.”

“She killed Virgil.” Remy said, when Roman took too long. 

“What?” Logan asked, staring blankly at Remy, the words not fully processing for him.

This time Roman wouldn’t let Remy talk for him. Remy wasn’t even there when it happened! Plus it was his boyfriend they were talking about here. Roman had to say something. “Earlier today she came to my house. Apparently she had managed to kidnap Virge somehow. We fought and she fucking killed him right in front of me!” Roman burst out in tears again. 

“That doesn’t sound like the same person that was just talking to me...” Logan said, still lost in his head, processing the new information about the woman who he had just been talking with mere minutes ago. “are you certain-“

“Yes, with everything Roman has told me about her, I’m sure it was Veronica. Are you?” Remy asked in return. If it really was Veronica, then it was a miracle that Logan was still here in one piece. 

“Quite positive.” Remy nodded accepting Logan’s answer as being the truth. Logan had no reason to lie.

“What did she want from you?” Roman asked suspicious of everything that had to do with D. and Veronica by now.

“She wanted a book. A book I had sworn not to give to anyone who couldn’t open it... I didn’t know any better back then...” 

“What book?” Roman asked, a little venom in his voice, because Logan was not cutting to the chase soon enough. 

“A book written by your mother. I didn’t know what it was when she first gave it to me, but since you confessed that you were a witch. I have started doing some more research.” Logan was met with two pairs of curious and impatient eyes. “Apparently this book does not only include the correct history of Lux’ and it also contains their most powerful spells.” 

“Cool, I think I might have heard about that before! So where have you got it?” Remy was happy to finally get some good news... until he saw Logan’s expression change and not for the better. “Logan?” 

Said man stayed quiet, his hand tapping a nervous pattern on the wooden counter behind him. He was clearly thinking very hard about something. Something that Remy expected he would not like to hear.

“Gurl. Tell me you didn’t give her that book!” Logan’s defeated expression told Roman and Remy that he had. 

“Logan why would you give her something like that!” Roman shouted desperately at his friends. The tears dried on his cheeks and replaced by anger towards his best friend for helping the person who had killed Virgil. 

“She said it was our best bet at keeping you alive! and...” a slight blush formed on Logan’s cheeks from the shame he felt at what he was going to say. He straightened his tie, glasses and back before continuing. “and at getting Patton away from D.” 

“Dammit she is just playing us!” Remy exclaimed. “First she fools me, telling me she has left D, then she tests Roman’s strength by pushing him to his limits and then she plays on your emotions like a harmonica.” Logan had half the thought to tell Remy that the saying was actually ‘to play someone like a fiddle’. Instead he decided focus on something else Remy had said.

“She did leave.” Logan said, talking about Veronica leaving D.

“What?” Remy asked, confused by Logan’s statement. 

“She told me she had left, too... that she had probably hurt Patton by doing so.” Logan reached up to change the angle of his glasses again. Not sure how Remy was going to react.

“It doesn’t matter. That bitch of a sis is obviously back with D. and now she knows she can defeat Roman and has a book with some of the most powerful spells on the planet, made by the gods themselves. That she can use, because she’s really good at translating Lux spells to work for Umbra too.” 

“We’re doomed!” Roman, who had remained remarkably and uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly shouted out towards the sky... or the roof of the library building.

“Roman please refrain from being dramatic.” Logan said in response to his friend’s outburst. It was definitely not the first time he had witnessed one of those in the years that the’ve known each other.

“Do you actually know me? I am drama.” 

“Ah, Roman, thank you for reminding me.” Logan suddenly thought about something that had struck him as odd. “It may be nothing, but if Veronica wasn’t lying to me about wanting to save Patton and keeping you alive then she might have left us a clue of some sort.”

“What do you mean? What clue?” Remy perked up.

“She was reading a book when I first saw her, then preceded to check out that book. It was an epic written by a Roman poet, the Aeneid, written between 29 and 19 BC.” Logan explained.

“So?” Roman said annoyed. What could be so important about a random old book?

“A Roman poet. Your name is Roman. It might be a stretch but...” Why Logan was friends with someone as vapid and slow witted as Roman was a mystery.

“Logan, I know my sister. If that bitch is back working for D. then she would definitely not be stupid enough to leave behind some clues.” Remy didn’t want to crash Logan’s brain wave, but with the way Roman had described Veronica’s behavior earlier, he really didn’t expect her to leave clues. 

“Yet you were also the one who previously told us you trusted her.” Logan countered.

“I was wrong.” Remy admitted with a sigh. He said down on a table nearby, while there were enough empty chairs around that table, just like Virgil often did. Which was unbeknownst to Remy another big hit towards Roman. 

“I’m not entirely sure you were...” Logan spoke up, effectively tearing Roman’s gaze away from Remy. “It was as if she was planning for something. As if she was setting up domino’s waiting for the perfect moment to topple them.” 

“You actually think she’s planning something against D? Remy asked in hopeful disbelief. 

“I think she’s leaving a figurative trail of breadcrumbs, giving us a chance at fighting D.” Logan honestly wasn’t sure what side Veronica was on anymore after everything that had happened today. 

“So this book, could hold some information.” Surprisingly Roman tried to get everyone back on track. Mainly because he’s rather search for a clue in a book than listen to people talk about the person who killed his boyfriend. 

“Exactly! Now she dropped the book off the counter here so...” Logan bend down to collect the fallen book, but didn’t get up immediately as he suddenly froze in place.

“Yo specks, You alright down there?” Roman asked, after it looked like Logan might have injured his back or something, as he suddenly stopped moving.

Logan reached out his arms towards the book on the floor. “She switched the books.” 

“What?” Remy asked, pushing himself off the table and walking towards the two friends to take a closer look. 

“She took the Aeneid with her... and left Hecate’s book here.” Logan clarified himself, still bend over the book.

“What?!” Remy shouted in disbelief as he got close enough to see the cover of the book.

Logan finally came back up holding the book in his hands. 

“Well great! Now we won’t figure out what her clue was.”

“Roman...babe... are you serious here? She left us a book that might as well could be called the fricking Lux bible! A book that can help us defeat D. and you are upset about a Roman poem?!” Remy exclaimed before realizing something else. “How could she make a mistake like this?”

“If it is a mistake at all...” Logan said in thought. 

“Whatever it is we’re going to use it in our advantage! I didn’t even know you had this thing! You should have told me. Not that I could have opened it... I was never one to pay attention during history and literature lessons...” Remy joked, his mood immediately ten times better now they had Hecate’s book.

“I wonder... Did Veronica know that about you? That you wouldn’t know how to open the book.” Logan asked, still trying to figure out the person that was Veronica.

“Bitch of course she did! We shared those classes... Omg she opened the book for us so we could train! She’s still on our side! This is great news! Now we can-“ Remy’s happiness was quickly shut down by a fuming Roman.

“Is everyone here forgetting that she fucking killed Virgil?! MY BOYFRIEND VIRGIL, in front of my very own eyes! She impaled him, I had to see body parts nobody should ever see outside someone’s body! Especially not their boyfriend’s! She is not on our side! I won’t believe that! She can’t be! A single tear managed to slip out and rolled over Roman’s cheek, but his expression was cold and very angry.

“Ro.” Logan tried his best at comforting his friend... Patton was better at that sort of thing. Not that Roman gave Logan much time to think of comforting words.

“We should continue training.” He said, as he started walking towards the spot in the library they had been training in before.

“Ro, it’s the middle of the night. We should go to bed.” Logan tried, but Roman had already made up his mind.

“I’ve slept the entire afternoon, after what I’m guessing must have been a sleeping spell. I’m fine.” He answered his friend’s protest. 

“Oh and Remy? Don’t think I’ll hold back if I ever see that boyfriend killer again. I don’t care if you trust her or not.” The fire in Roman’s eyes made Remy believe that statement without any hesitation.


	19. Turn around blue eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica talks to the last person that’s involved in her plan.

There was a young man sitting alone on a hill. He had been locked away in a shed for a couple of days, but today he was allowed to roam freely again. He didn’t understand why. Deceit would usually punish him after messing up, and not catching Roman definitely counted as messing up. Even if it wasn’t entirely his fault. Yet Deceit hadn’t punched him in the stomach until he felt like he couldn’t breath anymore, or given him two black eyes so he could barely see, or whipped his back until it bled, or left him hanging to the ceiling from just his wrist, while his legs were dangling underneath him, desperate to find the ground to relieve the pressure on his arms. That one would have been especially cruel now as Patton’s wrist was still badly burned. Deceit hadn’t even broken his glasses. Something was going on and Patton just couldn’t figure out what it was.

That was when the familiar smell of cookies filled the air around him. Cookies from a century old family recipe, that he might have borrowed to use in the cafe, but definitely wasn’t from his family. Or maybe it was... from the only family he had known for a long time... until she abandoned him as well. 

He quickly wondered if Deceit had done something with him that would play on his emotions to slowly drive him crazy. Now that would be a punishment. Having to be constantly reminded of the people that abandoned you because you were never good enough... or good at anything really. 

“I thought this would be where to find you.” A familiar voice spoke from behind him. Patton didn’t turn around. He didn’t want to face an illusion, a friend, maybe even parent, that wasn’t actually there. V. was good at illusions... D. is probably better at them. 

“No he isn’t.” It was as if the voice could read Patton’s mind, but in reality he was murmuring out loud to himself. “It’s actually a trick more frequently used by Lux than Umbra. Most of the illusion he had used in battle came from me.” 

“I know you’re not real.” Patton said so softly he almost whispered. Tears were gathering in his eyes and flowing onto his cheeks and that was when she touched him. 

Veronica laid her hands on Patton’s shaking shoulders and the spell of disbelief Patton had been entranced by, broke and shattered into a million little pieces. 

Illusions can’t be touched, illusions can’t be touched, ILLUSIONS CAN’T BE TOUCHED, ran through Patton’s mind as a mantra. Delicate fingers, bare of gloves, were touching the fabric of his shirt. If he shifted his head to look at them he could see nails painted black and a skin so pale it would almost light up in the moonlight. 

“Veronica?” He asked carefully, still afraid that she would disappear again, a fear that only grew once her hands left his shoulders.

“I’m here, Blue. I’m here and I won’t leave you again.” Unless I die, her mind unwelcomely reminded Veronica of the chance of death, would something go wrong. 

Patton finally turned around to face the one person he had been missing for years. She looked slightly different from how he remembered. Not older, even though it had been years, no... but she did look healthier. Her face had become a little rounder, her long hair looked thicker and her eyes were clearer. It was as if she had actually been able to live a comfortable life outside of the camp and now she was back. He should be ecstatic! Someone who, he believed, didn’t care about him as much as he cared about her, had now come back! For him... but... she was too late. 

“I... I couldn’t do it V.” Patton said after aborting an attempt to hug Veronica, before she could even react. He basically just spread his arms only to fold them over his chest.

“Couldn’t do what, Blue?” Veronica asked carefully. She never liked seeing Blue act... well blue. Even if she already knew the very valid reason for his distress.

“You... you said I shouldn’t let D. break me! You said I should remain strong and listen to my morals, but... The stronger I was the harder he would hit and I... I just...” Patton broke down sobbing, he would have actually dropped to the ground if Veronica hadn’t been there to catch him and hold him in a strong embrace. 

“Shh shh, Patton it’s okay.” Veronica comforted the man in her arms with both words and the familiar scent surrounding her. She smelled like freshly backed cookies and antique wooden furniture, like the library and like Patton’s home... The home he would never get to return to. 

“No it isn’t! I betrayed my friends and-“ Patton stopped mid sentence, the exact words Veronica used finally catching up with his mind. He pulled back out of her embrace. “Did you just call me by my name?” 

“Someone might have told me your name... Thereby, I was there. At the library, when...” Was Veronica’s half baked explanation. 

“So you know how messed up I’ve become? The things D. can get me to do! I feel disgusted thinking about how I could do something like that! Poison my friend... or anyone really...” Patton had turned his back towards Veronica once more, now looking towards the camp.

“Hey hey Blue. That’s a good thing!” At those words Patton turned back around immediately, his eyes the size of the cookies in Veronica’s bag, and those definitely weren’t small. 

“Poisoning people?” He asked carefully, not sure what Veronica meant with her last statement.

“No silly, feeling bad about doing it. It means you still haven’t lost that big heart of yours.” She answered as she poked him in his chest area, around where his heart would be. Well is actually, he still has a heart of course! He would probably be dead without one. 

“How could I lose my heart? I know exactly who I’ve entrusted it too. He would never lose it... and yet I almost poisoned his best friend! And now D. wants to kill Ro and I will have to help and-“ Patton was spiraling again, thinking only about the bad things that had been happening and how he was involved in all them.

“And it’s okay, because you don’t want to do it!” Veronica tried to calm Patton down the same way she used to calm herself down when she hadn’t been working for D. that long yet. Eventually it didn’t work for her anymore, but she believed Patton hadn’t crossed that line yet. 

“But I will have to...” Patton looked at his feet.

“No you won’t.” Veronica said confidently, because even if she wasn’t sure if her plan was going to work, she was sure that Patton wouldn’t have to fight on D’s side any longer. Not now she was here. Not now his friends’ lives were at stake. 

“But.” Haha butt, Patton’s still somehow slightly innocent mind automatically reacted to his own word of doubt. 

“You won’t, because I am here and I won’t let you. I’ve already started up a plan to defeat D. once and for all. A plan that will hopefully keep your friend Roman alive too.” Keeping Roman alive was a rather big part of the plan after al. You can’t defeat Deceit without the handsome son of a Greek goddess after all. Really Veronica? You’re going to call him handsome in your own mind? Ha straight!

“Really?” Patton asked hopefully. “You’re sure this plan is gonna work?”

“Nope.” Veronica answered dryly. “But it’s the best chance we’ve ever gotten. It would be a waste to not at least try to take it.” 

“Okay! So what happens after we win.” There’s the optimistic Patton we know and love!

“We all could go back to living a normal life.” Veronica sighed at the thought of finally not having to be afraid that Deceit would find her ever again and of Patton and Logan getting back together. “You could go back to your friends and I...”

“You could go back to the life you were living before returning here!” Veronica’s face fell at Patton’s words, so he quickly corrected himself. “Or you could come with me! I’m sure that if my friends see us fight against D. they will take you in!” Poor naive Patton. If only he knew that what she had done was way worse than what he almost did. She should probably tell him now, to avoid the chance that someone else tells him when they confront D. She is going to need Patton at her side. 

“You know, just like you, I’m not proud of the things I’ve done either.” She started carefully. “As you know, I‘ve kidnapped and... killed a lot of people. A view days ago... to earn D’s trust I... might have had to... break someone’s heart by killing the person they loved... I mean not that I could understand why they would ever love them out of all people, but...” It was quiet for a while after that. Veronica not sure how to continue and Patton not sure how to react. Comforting her is probably the best idea! She had done the same for him after all. 

“Well that’s not... very nice... but I’m sure that you can better yourself once D. is gone and we can start a normal life! You could even apologize to that person and although it doesn’t bring back their loved one, maybe you can find a way to make it up to them, or at least let them know you feel sorry and-“ Veronica interrupted him. She couldn’t listen to Patton trying to downplay her actions any longer! 

“I killed Roman’s boyfriend.” She blurted out suddenly. 

“You...”

“I killed Virgil.” 

“You killed... Virgil?” Veronica nodded apologetically. “But he was innocent!” 

“I had to make sure D trusted me! And well... when Roman’s boyfriend followed me out of the library...” she didn’t finish her sentence but they both knew what followed. “He was just an ex beggar, nothing special.” 

“How can you say that! He was my friend! He was Roman’s boyfriend!” Patton would have shouted if they weren’t still close to the camp. Why had his oldest friend just confessed killing his newest?! He hadn’t even gotten the chance to make it up to Virgil. 

“Well the both of you deserved better anyways.” Veronica interrupted Patton’s thoughts. A hint of regret, maybe even heartache in her expression, but it got replaced with a soft, neutral, smile almost immediately. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Patton asked in a tone that hinted at a desperate anger he was trying to conceal. Veronica didn’t blame him. 

“You guys deserve better than a street rat, that most people would just walk past or step on.” She answered a little too nonchalantly, but it was merely a defense to hide her own discomfort at trying to justify her actions. 

“You know I was living on the streets once.” Patton spoke. His voice small again. He had never told anyone about his life before the camp. Not the truth anyway. 

“So was I” Veronica’s words hung in the air around them, making it thick and difficult to breath. Someone had to say something, before it would suffocate them. So Veronica, the woman from a rich family of Lux, who always showed part of her upbringing in someway. Always showed that she had known wealth. Now showed she had known poverty. “Where else was I supposed to go after leaving this place?” 

“I’m sorry.” Patton said, and Veronica wasn’t sure when this conversation had gone from Patton being mad at her, for a good reason, to Patton feeling sorry for her. Whenever it had happened, Veronica didn’t like that it had. 

“No, I’m sorry! I’m sorry for taking away a part of your and your friends’ happiness, by pushing myself back into your life, without considering that black cats bring bad luck.” She said with a sad chuckle.

“Only if they cross your path.” Patton piped up, not realizing that there was a flaw in his logic.

“Isn’t that exactly what I did?” Veronica chuckled again and Patton soon joined, not able to stay mad at his old friend, even if she had done some terrible things that he hadn’t forgiven her for yet. 

“Well at least you didn’t break a mirror!” He joked.

“Nah, I’ll leave that to Roman.” She joked back. Before even realizing what she had said.

“Hmm?” Patton questioned her with a curious look in those blue eyes of his. And there was no turning back now. Veronica had to tell him what had happened at Roman’s now. Something she had hoped to avoid.

“How about this. I’ll explain everything over some cookies and some ice cold sweet tea and then tomorrow we start training for the big attack. D. has given me permission to try and train you for the battle and trust me. I will.” Part of what she said was a lie. She wouldn’t tell him everything. He didn’t need to know everything. Nobody ever needed to know everything.


	20. The Nightmare before Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So... Roman might be a bit nervous about the oncoming battle. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS!  
> This chapter contains:  
> \- blood  
> \- light gore  
> \- death  
> \- jokes about death

Roman was pushed to the ground by a dark mass. The shadows were all around him, he couldn’t see Logan or Remy anymore, but he could hear them. Logan shouting for Patton to stop this, to not attack him. Patton joked back at him, with his usual puns and dad jokes, but they were darker now. 

“Hey Lo Lo, What has brown hair and lays dead in a closet?” Patton asked in a voice that could only come from a psychopath. 

“Patton please, stop this!” Logan begged. Logan never begged, which could only mean that he was petrified and hearing Patton speak like that, Roman didn’t blame him. 

“The gay hide and seek champion from ten years ago!” Patton’s laugh bounced off the walls until it sounded like ten completely derailed Pattons were all laughing at once. It wasn’t a pretty sound. 

“Oh and I now you’ll like this one! You were always so fond of scientific facts right?” A muffled scream, that was definitely Logan’s, could be heard and Roman wished he could put his hands over his ears, but the shadows had tied down his arms and he couldn’t move. Where was Remy?! Why wasn’t he helping either Roman or Logan! 

“Did you know that according to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if they go to a funeral, are better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. Aren’t you sooo glad Logie? You won’t have to do a eulogy for your friends! You’ll join them! Or since you’re the first to go, I guess they’ll join you!” 

“Patton NOOOOOOoooooo....” The scream and following echo droned on and on in Roman’s head until it was quiet again. Roman wanted to cry, for his friend who would surely be dead by now, but his eyes only burned the more he tried. He wanted to scream in agony, but his throat closed up painfully, not letting the scream roll over his tongue. 

Then he could here Remy in the distance. Talking to somebody Roman couldn’t identify in his panicked haze. 

“Come on Lux, all you have to do is hand over the book and maybe I won’t have to kill your little friend after all.” Somehow Roman had a feeling that he was the friend the stranger was talking about.

“He’s not my friend.” Remy spoke to the stranger, who had to be Deceit, because nobody else would want Roman dead... right? “He’s just an asset. One I am willing to lose in the protection of this book.” 

What?! Remy no! No No No No! 

“You would give up your goddess’ son for a few pieces of paper bound by leather.” Deceit mocked Remy.

“She would want me too. I had to promise her that I would put the safety of this book above everything else. Including her son.” 

His mom had said that to Remy? When had she even talked to him? Roman hadn’t seen her in years! And then she shows up to talk to Remy and to tell him to put a book above her own son?! 

“Foolish Lux.” Deceit spoke, referring to Remy and his stubbornness. “You actually think I need you to hand over that book. If your sister wasn’t such a fuck up I would have already gotten it by now! So I’ll be taking what belongs to me, with or without your consent.”

Sounds of struggle could be heard, which only caused Roman to struggle with his restraints once more. He had to get out of here! If he didn’t he... he had a feeling he would die here. 

It took a little while for Roman to notice that it had grown quiet around him. That could mean two things... and the fact that Roman was still restrained, probably meant that the worst of the two scenarios had become a reality. 

“Foolish Lux.” He could hear someone, Deceit, mutter. “Clean up the mess you two! We’ve got what all we needed.”

“What about Roman?” A way too cheery Patton asked. 

Deceit seemed to think about that question for a while, leaving Roman to shudder in the shadows. “Veronica. He’s all yours.” 

All three laughed and a door opened and closed somewhere in the library, before the darkness around Roman started to fade. 

There he was in the middle of the library. He seemed to be alone, but knew that Veronica could be anywhere. He waited. He waited for her to jump out. He waited for her to attack. But it remained quiet. It was just Roman in an empty library. All the candles were off, the only light coming from behind the windows, but when Roman tried to look through them he couldn’t see the town. He paid little mind to it as he slowly made his way walking between bookshelf after bookshelf until he found a closet he had never seen in the library before. 

It was a standard, old, wooden closet nothing out of the ordinary, except for it’s location at the end of a path between high bookshelves. Something in him told Roman that he didn’t want to know what was in there. Something else kept pushing him forwards. In his mind he was screaming to himself to turn around, but it was as if turning back wasn’t even an option, like everything behind his back no longer existed. 

Before he knew it, Roman’s hand reached out to the handle on the closet door. He opened it and got greeted by the sight of his best friend. Dead. Roman took a step back and Logan’s bloody corpse fell out of the closet, before his feet. Again, Roman wanted to scream, but his throat closed itself up. 

When Roman turned around the rows and rows of bookshelves had made room for an entire different section of the library. 

On one of the tables laid Remy in a condition similar to Logan. On another table laid Roman’s father. On the floor laid a few innocent people he knew from the village. 

What had happened here while Roman was encased in shadows?

Roman heard someone crying behind him. He turned around to find Patton crying over Logan’s dead body. 

“Lo Lo? Please... wake up, please. It’s me. Patton. Logan please! Don’t... don’t be dead.” The scene was heartbreaking to look at. Patton sitting there, trying to get a dead Logan to wake up like a lion cub would try to wake up his dad after the dad was pushed off a cliff by his brother and trampled to death by a stampede of wildebeests.

But Roman knew that Patton was the one who had killed Logan in the first place. He had heard the almost demonic way the blond man had joked about Logan’s death before killing him. 

Patton spotted Roman standing there, looking at them and started to beg for help. “Roman, please help! Lo... Logan won’t wake up! Please! Do something! I... I can’t lose him too.. please!” Roman just stared at his ex friend, anger boiling in his stomach and the steam seeping through his entire body. Before he really registered it he had a magic rope in his hand. 

“Ro?” Patton stood up and took a defensive stance, Logan’s body still laying at his feet. “What are you do-“

Patton couldn’t finish his sentence as one end the rope found it’s way around Patton’s neck and started to melt away his skin as the rope tightened and tightened. Patton’s hands flew to his throat, but when his fingers touched to rope, they burned just like the skin of his neck. 

Roman pulled back the rope a few seconds after Patton had stopped struggling. His face blue and his blue eyes staring at nothing, no life behind them anymore. As the rope pulled away Roman could see the the damage done to Patton’s neck. His head only just attached to the rest of his body and Roman had to turn away. 

How could he have done this?! He just killed someone! Roman knew he should be shaking, but instead he simply turned around and what was behind him disappeared once again. The rest of the bodies had disappeared as well and that wasn’t the only thing that had changed. 

On the book check in/out counter laid a book that wasn’t there before. A familiar book. Roman wasn’t sure why. He just knew that he had to know it from something. He walked up to the counter and picked up the book. It looked old, the pages had become yellow and in general the book felt worn. 

‘The Aeneid’ the title read. ‘An epic Poem by Publius Vergilius Maro’ read the subtitle. 

He remembered this book. He had seen it in the library once before. Why had he remembered it? This was the book that Veronica had taken with her right? Was that why? No. He had seen the book. He had a memory of seeing that book. He turned the book over to look at the spine. A little paper from the library was glued against the cover. ‘The Aeneid, Virgil.’ Was written on it in Logan’s neat handwriting. 

“Virgil...” Roman said softly. He wasn’t even sure if he had actually said it out loud until a response came from behind him. 

“Yes Roman? What is it?” Virgil asked. He was standing at another bookshelf. Roman hadn’t even realized that he wasn’t in the same location that he had been in a few seconds ago.

“I didn’t know you wrote ancient books.” Virgil walked over to see what Roman was talking about. 

“What are you talking about? Of course I didn’t-“ Roman didn’t let him finish his sentence, too excited about his discovery. 

“Look your name is on here!” He giggled elatedly. 

Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman from behind and laid his chin on Roman’s shoulder to look at the book he was holding. Roman didn’t have to turn around to know that Virgil was standing on his toes to be able to do that. “So it is.” Virgil said after reading his name on the piece of paper.

Both men laughed and Virgil let go of Roman, standing next to him instead of behind. 

“We should borrow it! Read what you’ve written about!” Roman teased.

“Didn’t know you could read Latin.” Virgil teased back. Everything seemed so normal. Like all the horrible things that Roman had seen and heard before, hadn’t actually happened. That was until Roman realized that Virgil was dead. 

The person beside Roman started to morph into someone else. First into Deceit, but when he started to laugh it sounded... feminine. 

“What’s wrong, Princey? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” The figure morphed again, this time into Patton, but it still didn’t feel right. “You know it was really stupid of Virgil to try to get me back. I never wanted to come back.” 

“You’re not Patton. Patton is dead!” Roman shouted at whoever it was that was standing next to him. 

“You’re right. You killed him.” The Umbra, yeah it had to be an Umbra, reminded him coldly. 

“I had to! He killed Logan!” Roman shouted in response.

“Did he? Have you seen him do that?” The witch asked, voice still cold, void of any emotion, and yet... teasing. They were playing him. 

“No...” Roman admitted.

“Come on Roman. Are you really that easy?” The figure morphed back to Virgil, but something about him was wrong. His hair just an inch too long. His cheeks just a bit too round and his shape a bit too... curvy? “You are, aren’t you?” 

Something in Roman snapped and he suddenly realized who he was facing. He didn’t like it one bit. “Veronica.” 

“The one and only.” The figure spoke with a feminine voice, but her appearance didn’t change. “You hadn’t forgotten that I could play with you for a little while, had you?” 

“Show yourself witch!” Roman shouted. He wanted to push her, but found himself frozen in place, unable to move anything but his face.

“Oh but Roman, I am showing myself.” Veronica said in a flirty tone. Her finger traced Roman’s jaw and pulled away just before Roman could bite her.

“Your real self!” He shouted again.

“Oh.” Veronica chuckled with her hand in front of her mouth. “You see Roman. Patton just had to see one of his best friends kill him for no reason. I thought I would return the favor.” Bright green eyes, that didn’t belong to Virgil’s face, glared at Roman before the Umbra pounced and- 

Roman shot up in his bed. His breathing was labored and he could feel moisture on his face, a combination of sweat and tears. His throat hurt from the times he had tried to scream and his heart ached from the things he had seen.

The date of confrontation was getting close now. Roman could feel it. And to say that he was scared would be an understatement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry?


	21. My head is saying fool forget him. My heart is saying don’t let go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did just quote Grease in the title, sue me.
> 
> Actually please don’t. 
> 
> Anyway the final battle finally starts with a little head vs heart.

Both the light sides and the shadow/dark sides trained for weeks to win the inevitable fight. Neither knew which side would attack first, but D. had an advantage and he was gonna use it. Deceit knew that Remy didn’t know the exact location of his camp, Veronica had assured him of that. However Deceit did know the locations where Roman could be; the library, his house, or Logan’s house. 

So when Veronica told him that Patton was ready for the fight, he didn’t waste any time getting to the village where his ticket, to becoming the most powerful witch to ever walk the earth, resided. 

Roman and Remy stood in front of the library, waiting for Logan to come and open the door. It was Monday, a day when the library was usually closed, but now Logan kept it open as a training site for the two Lux. 

Logan walked up to the others. A good sign, because it meant he slept at home again and hadn’t buried himself in work at the library. He opened the door after a bit of smalltalk and the trio was met with the familiar interior of Logan’s library, with its wooden furniture, closed down cafe, and many books all neatly stacked upon the many bookshelves.

Well... almost all books. Remy and Logan didn’t seem to have noticed it yet, but after Roman’s many nightmares he had started to take in his surroundings more, to hopefully distinguish reality from his dreams a bit easier. 

Roman walked up to the counter where Veronica had last been seen checking out a book, only to find what he believed to be that same book, on the wooden surface. It also happened to be the book that kept popping up in Roman’s bad dreams. The cover just as he remembered, including the note on the spine, with Logan’s handwriting on it. 

Roman didn’t trust Veronica, not one bit, but... this did seem to be placed here on purpose. A warning. They’re coming, or maybe they’re already here. Anyway it’s showtime. 

“Logan, get out of here.” Roman commanded his friend, something that Logan was less than pleased with. 

“Why should I? Do I have to remind you that I own this building, Roman?” So far Logan had been present at all their training sessions, mainly to make sure that nothing was broken beyond repair. He didn’t see a reason for Roman suddenly sending him away and he wasn’t feeling much for leaving either. 

“Logan...” Roman held out the book in frustration. “They are here. Please. Go home.” 

Logan recognized the book immediately. “Right. Yes. I shall take my leave.” He said before turning around to leave, but it was too late. They were trapped.

“Aww Logan, leaving so soon.” Deceit looked at Logan from the doorway with a wide grin on his face, Veronica and Patton were trailing a few steps behind him, both of their faces were blank, emotionless, calculating. “I’m sure this is going to be a party you won’t want to miss.” 

Logan, a man of many, many, words, didn’t know what to say to that. There were currently a lot of things that scared him and Logan wasn’t used to being scared. The first and most important thing scaring him was Deceit of course, standing so close to a very powerful witch that wants to kill your friend is a very scary experience. The second thing was Patton. He still looked so innocent, so... Patton. He even smiled at Logan and gave him a quick wave, knowing that Deceit couldn’t see what he was doing. The last thing was his total inability to defend himself now that he was the only human surrounded by a group of witches. 

Shadows made their way up Logan’s legs and gave a sharp tug on his ankles, causing the librarian to fall down on his back, his head hitting the ground knocking him unconscious. Deceit took this opportunity to literally walk over him, using Logan as a bridge between what he believes to already have and what he wants to get. 

“Veronica, come with me. Patton...” Deceit paused for dramatic effect. “Please get rid of your nerdy ex and come back straight afterwards.” 

“Yes, D.” Patton spoke in a submissive tone. He had half the thought to tell D. that ‘getting rid of’ Logan wouldn’t change his sexuality, but quickly decided not to mention it. 

And as Deceit and Veronica were stalking their way towards the two Lux, Patton slowly dragged Logan over the ground towards him. Patton and Veronica sharing one last smile, before Patton disappeared into the shadows, taking Logan with him. 

Now, Patton was a very bad liar, but luckily for him Deceit had a tendency to not be specific enough. It was a loophole that Patton had exploited many times, which was often a mistake as Deceit got pissed once he realized that Patton had taken his words too seriously. Right now however he hoped that Veronica, Roman and Remy were able to defeat Deceit so his punishment would never come. 

Patton rose up in the living room of his- Logan’s house. Laying the unconscious Logan on the couch. Patton didn’t like the amount of dust in the house, or the fact that many of his belongings were still out in the open. Logan hadn’t cleaned up since Patton revealed himself to work for Deceit. Patton even doubted that Logan had been home much. If he’d go upstairs to the bedroom he would probably see the bed untouched and if he opened the set of drawers to the right he might even find the ring box, but Patton really should get going now. He had to come back after ‘getting rid’ of Logan after all. What? Logan wasn’t in the library anymore. Patton could easily make sure that Logan couldn’t leave his house. Nobody said anything about KILLING Logan... Deceit really should have clarified that if that was what he meant. 

Before going back, Patton did however grab Logan a glass of water and a mint candy for when he would wake up, probably with a headache... oops. 

Patton was about to sink out into the shadows again when...

“Pat?” Logan asked dazed from just waking up with a killer headache and probably a concussion. His boyfriend was caring from him as he usually would. They were in their living room, he was laying on their couch. Now if only he remembered why the back of his head hurt so much. 

“Logan...” Patton said in a tone that Logan definitely wasn’t expecting. Like Patton regretted something. Was Patton the cause of his headache? What had-

In a flash Logan’s memories returned to him and immediately Logan jumped off of the couch. He wobbly took a defensive stance, but the blood rushing down by gravity made his vision darken and his legs start to buckle. 

“Careful!” Patton called out as he rushed forwards to grab Logan and navigate him back onto the couch before he could fall. 

“Why?” Logan asked confused. He didn’t understand what was going on or who he could trust anymore. He just didn’t know, and he really doesn’t like not knowing. 

“Why what?” Patton asked, standing next to the couch uncomfortably, not sure what to do with himself and really wanting to hug Logan. 

“Why are you helping me? Why are we here? Why am I not dead yet?” Logan voiced his inner turmoil, breaking Patton’s heart. 

“I would never kill you, Logan! I lo- uh... I brought you home to get rid of you. That’s what D. told me to do. He would never want me to actually kill an innocent bystander.” Patton explained to Logan as if he honestly believed the things he said. 

“Patton... I’ve lived with you for eight years. You are not that thick-headed.” Logan stated. He really appreciated Patton trying to keep him alive, but this still doesn’t answer his question. Why? It definitely wasn’t because he had misunderstood Deceit. So, why?

“Okay, so Veronica might have a plan and it might involve keeping you out of danger and saving Roman and k- ki- making D. unliving.” Patton tried to explain without really explaining, but he failed horribly, only making Logan more curious. 

“What plan?” Logan inquired. Standing up from the couch now that his blood pressure seemed to have returned to normal. 

“Well there was this book with a lot of witchcraft stuff in it.” Patton started walking around the room like he always did when talking about something he was even the slightest bit excited about. “and she didn’t tell D. about it, but instead she made sure that you guys would have it, so Roman and Remy would be strong enough to defeat him and then when D. isn’t paying attention we would convince them that we are against D. too, which we are! We are on your side!” Patton tried to assure Logan, but honestly he didn’t have high hopes. Logan didn’t have to believe him... as long as everyone could get out of this unharmed everything would be fine, he tried to convince himself. 

“Good luck with that.” Patton stopped pacing to look at Logan with eyes the size off saucers, scared of what Logan had to say about Veronica’s plan. Patton didn’t even want to know what would happen if it failed. “Roman didn’t take her killing Virgil lightly. Did you know that Patton? How do you know you can trust her? How do I know that I can trust you?” Logan pushed the Umbra.

“She told me about Virgil, yeah... She... she had to do it! D. has to believe that she’s back with him for 100 percent. He would have killed her otherwise.” Patton looked like he was about to beg Logan to believe him, but Logan wouldn’t fall for the puppy eyes. Not this time.

“There’s a lot of people out there who would have preferred that.” Logan pushed again. He knew that there was more to Veronica than she tried to make him believe, but he wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad thing. 

“Logan how can you say that! Veronica can be a gloomy goober some times, but she’s been like a mother for me and I... I don’t agree with what she did, but it’s better than just giving Virge up to D! He would have tortured him!” Patton defended his friend.

“Who’s to say that Veronica hasn’t done exactly that to Virgil herself?” Logan countered, knowing that it was a big possibility as she had been playing with Roman before killing Virgil. What stopped her from playing with Virgil before Roman got there. 

“She would never!” Patton shouted a little louder than he had planned.

“She killed a man!” Logan replied coldly, but his volume matched Patton.

“He would have died anyway!” It was the first time that Patton dared to say it out loud. He knew it was true, but it still felt wrong to say that there was no way Virgil could have survived. “Virgil... he... he followed Veronica... she had to do something! He wouldn’t have backed away. It was wrong, but... she had no choice! She didn’t want to do it!” Patton knew she didn’t want to do it. 

“And you believe she is telling you the truth?” Logan sounded doubtful, but Patton wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t trust Veronica, or because he was starting to doubt his own judgement. Anyway Patton decided to answer Logan truthfully. 

“Yes? I don’t see why she would have a reason to lie.” 

“To earn your trust?” Logan suggested.

“I’d trust her anyway. She’s a good person.” Logan raised his eyebrow at Patton’s statement. “She just doesn’t believe it herself. There’s been a lot of hard choices she’s had to make, and I’m sure I don’t know about all of them.” Patton chuckled nervously. “But she wouldn’t have to lie for me to trust her. I know she wants me to get away from D. and I know she wants me to be happy and I would be happy if you and Roman came out of this alive... even if you never want to see me ever again.”

“Patton...” Logan wanted nothing more than to reach out to Patton, but he wasn’t sure what they were at the moment, relationship wise, and he didn’t know if it was appropriate to hug the man he once loved... No, the man he still loved.

“Please, you don’t have to say it. I understand.” Patton turned away from Logan, desperately holding back tears and his body visibly shaking a little. “Well, I should get back to the library now. I’m sure we can beat D. when it’s four against one!”

“You mean five.” Logan spoke up confidently as usual.

“No, I’m pretty sure there’s four of us. There’s me, Roman, Remy and Veronica. That’s four.” Patton even counted on his fingers to be sure. He might not have gone to an actual school when he was younger, but he was pretty sure he knew how to count and Logan had taught him to read too!

“I’m not staying here doing nothing, Patton.” Logan finally touched Patton by putting his hand on the Umbra’s shoulder in a reassuring manner. 

“No. No no no no no, Logan you are not going back to the library!” Patton turned back around to face Logan abruptly. “You don’t have magic, you can’t defend yourself! I understand that you’re worried about Roman and want to help him, but here you would be safe!” Patton reached out to hold Logan’s cheek, but he stopped himself, missing the look of sadness that crossed over Logan’s face. 

“It’s not just Roman I’m worried about.” Logan said, looking deeply into Patton’s eyes and for once it was Patton who was being completely oblivious about the love shining in Logan’s eyes. 

“Well I’m sure Remy can take care of himself. He’s probably had a lot of training when he was younger.” Patton answered deep in thought. He wasn’t sure why Logan would worry about Remy, but maybe they had grown closer since Deceit had taken Patton away from the group.

“I’m worried about you, Patton.” Logan confessed, which caused Patton’s eyes to finally focus on Logan’s that were still staring directly into his. 

“What? Why?!” Patton stuttered out. “I kinda thought you never wanted to see me again after this.” Patton’s eyes slipped back down, looking at the space, or lack thereof, between their bodies. 

“I did, but... someone reminded me that I was in fact very much in denial.” Logan hooked his finger underneath Patton’s chin, moving his face up again. 

“About?” Patton asked hopefully. 

“I- I’m in love with you, Patton. As much as I don’t want to be. As much as I want to listen to my brain and run away as far as I can from you. I just can not believe that what we had was fake.” The tension was getting unbearable and Patton really wanted to kiss Logan right then and there, but Logan pulled back. “I understand that for you that may have been all that it was, and... what are you doing.” Patton couldn’t handle Logan pulling away, so he pulled him into a hug. 

“I love you too Lolo! I had always hoped that the Lux in this town was someone you didn’t know so I could keep you out of this and hopefully stay with you once D. had gotten all he wanted.” Patton said with his head over Logan’s shoulder, their bodies pressed together and Patton’s breath brushing over the back of Logan’s neck. “Nobody had to know... but then Roman confessed that he was the Lux and D. somehow knew about it already. I didn’t even tell him! I just wanted our little family to stay the way it was, but now I know that will never happen...” Patton pulled back, but kept holding on to Logan, his hands on Logan’s upper arms. “But I love you Logan! That was never a lie. You know I’m a bad liar! You know me. The real me. The person you were dating for all those years, that was me. I didn’t fake anything! Well except for being a witch... And I really want to proof it to you and kiss you until the dawn of tomorrow, but I have to go back now. I have to help Veronica and Remy and Roman, because I owe that to them and-“ Patton didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence as Logan finally pressed their lips together.

Logan gave Patton a short peck on the lips that both men wanted to extend to an actual kiss, but they knew that if they did that they would be here for a while. 

“To the library?” Logan held out his hand, showing Patton that he really wanted to come with, and even if Patton’s mind was screaming at him that Logan would be saver here, he couldn’t deny his boyfriend this choice. If Logan wanted to fight for their family and love, then who was Patton to deny him that?

“Yeah.” Patton said sheepishly as he grabbed Logan’s hand and used the shadows to travel back to the library, dropping Logan off on the first floor balcony, that looked out over the main ‘battleground’ but was still relatively safe, before going back down appearing in the middle of quite a nasty fight between Roman and Veronica.


	22. Light vs Shadows part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it’s Roman vs Veronica time baby

Deceit and Veronica were stalking towards Remy and Roman, while Patton and Logan disappeared in the background. Veronica had shortly looked back at Patton, but now her eyes were on the two Lux, and they looked plain out predatory. Roman really didn’t believe she was innocent anymore, no matter how much Logan and Remy seemed to believe that she was trying to help them out in someway. Roman wasn’t buying it. 

Remy and Roman had discussed that Remy would go for Deceit, to keep the villain away from Roman and because he still had trained for longer than Roman had. Roman had agreed, especially because he didn’t believe that Remy would actually be able to attack his sister, without feeling bad about it. Remy quickly lead Deceit away with a few attacks and Roman started seeing red from anger. His boyfriend’s murderer was staring at him with a smirk gracing her lips. Cold green eyes with swirling pools of blacks and purples in them glared at Roman, waiting for him to strike first and he was fully planing on taking that invitation. 

A ball of light shot from Roman’s hand and hit Veronica on her chest, the Umbra flew back, but didn’t seem to be in too much pain. Roman figured she must be wearing some Lux magic repelling clothing, meaning that Roman’s magic wouldn’t burn her skin. However she wasn’t fully protected. She was wearing boots, a long skirt, a long sleeved shirt and on top of it all a cloak, that looked too old and worn to fit the rest of her elegant outfit. This left her hands and her head unprotected, standing out to Roman like targets on a shooting range.

“Come on Roman. Is this all you’ve got? Didn’t you learn anything from my little visit earlier?” Veronica challenged. 

Roman charged at her in anger, his hands glowing, but not firing his magic, no he kept it contained. Veronica managed to avoid Roman running into her, only to be knocked down from behind after Roman had used his ability to teleport to change the direction he was running in.

“You are going to pay for what you did to Virgil! He didn’t deserve that! He was innocent!” Roman’s hands went to Veronica’s neck and she could feel the warmth of his magic as it quickly approached her bare skin. She pushed him off with a shadow, hitting him in his side, causing Roman to fly off against a bookshelf. 

“Nobody is ever completely innocent, Roman.” Veronica grimaced as she got back onto her feet.

Roman quickly got up as well and charged again, punching Veronica in the stomach, sending her flying up, but she used her magic to disappear into the shadows, before she could hit the ground. 

As Veronica had been pushed into the sky a small piece of paper had fallen from a pocket on the inside of her cloak. She hadn’t noticed it, but Roman had. He grabbed it and put it in his own pocket, before Veronica appeared again. He would read it if he got a chance. Maybe it was a spell too difficult for her to remember, or something that could be used as blackmail later on. It had to be important as she decided to keep it on her during the battle. 

Roman had no time to dwell on it as he dodged another of Veronica’s attacks. She didn’t seem to notice that Roman got the piece of paper, then again she had probably forgotten it was there in the first place. 

“Nice try.” Veronica huffed, but she didn’t go back to attacking him immediately. Roman didn’t mind, though. He fired some energy towards her head, but she dodged it once again. However her hand got caught by some sparks and she hissed from the slight sting. 

“I’m just getting started.” Roman panted lightly, before he started muttering a spell that Veronica didn’t know. That probably meant it was a spell from Hecate’s book. 

“Spare your strength, Roman. I’m not your biggest enemy here.” Veronica spoke in the same way Remy had done, when was training Roman. 

“You killed Virgil!” Roman retorted with a lot of built up anger in both his voice and expression. Veronica would almost take a step back, but that would be a mistake in a situation like this. She had to remember her own training, while simultaneously getting Roman ready to face Deceit. 

“Well what do you want me to do about that now? I can’t exactly turn back time!” 

“Like you would.” Roman huffed. He believed he had figured her out completely. Her name might not be Deceit, but she was still a liar, willing to do anything to make sure things went her way... or Deceit’s way, since she was still working for him. 

“Oh I would. I would make sure that you and Virgil never met.” Roman looked shocked, after Veronica’s confession. How could she say that? Did she really want Roman to be unhappy that badly? Virgil was the best thing that had ever happened to him! “It would make all of this so much easier.” Roman heard her mumble that last part, but the words didn’t register completely. All he could here was ‘I would make sure you and Virgil never met’ over and over again in his head. He was furious.

Another one of Roman’s energy balls hit Veronica in the shoulder. Veronica retaliated by grabbing Roman with some shadows and holding him up mid air. His hands no longer had access to light so that would stop him from making energy balls at the quick pace he had been going. 

She had a strong hold on him, even though she wasn’t sure what to do next, until she heard something upstairs on the balcony. The noise distracted her causing the shadows to dissolve enough for Roman to pull one of his arms free from its confines. 

Roman was absolutely done playing nice and decided to follow Veronica’s advice from when she had broken into his house. It was time to play dirty. He formed a spear of light in his hand and before Veronica could notice he threw it her way.

“VERONICA!” Someone shouted, bringing her attention away from whatever was happening upstairs and onto the imminent danger that was Roman’s very deadly spear that was quickly moving towards her stomach. She guessed it was revenge for impaling his boyfriend, for killing off Virgil... but she never expected Roman to actually kill her. Not that she didn’t expect to die here, but definitely not by Roman’s hands. 

Someone knocked her to the ground as the spear grazed her side. A searing pain burned on her side as the spear cut through the fabric of her cloak and dress, but she wasn’t dead. Roman hadn’t killed her! Yet... It appears that she might have underestimated him and her brother’s training skills a little. 

Anyway back to why she wasn’t dead yet. Holding onto her ankles was Patton, who had swiftly tackled her out of harms way after he had returned from dropping off Logan. Because even though he was still mad at Veronica for hurting... and killing... his friends, they would need her to fight Deceit. The more people could fight, the smaller the chance anyone else would have to die. 

Roman had fallen out of his restraints by now and was already holding up another spear, although he didn’t seem to know which witch he should aim it towards. 

“Roman listen!” Patton spoke up, causing the spear to quickly be aimed his way. “Remy and D are out of earshot right now and they can’t see us from where they are either!” 

“So? What’s that supposed to mean, villain?” Roman scoffed in response, already calculating the spear’s trajectory in his head. It hurt to actually aim something towards Patton, but he had to remind himself that the Patton he’d known, never really existed. 

“It means we have a chance to talk.” Veronica answered, mainly to get the attention back to her. It worked, Roman turned his head over, but the spear was still aimed towards Patton’s chest.

“Why would I need to speak to you two? One of you killed Virgil, the other doesn’t seem to care about breaking people’s hearts.” Patton shuddered at Roman’s words. He did care! And Veronica... he wasn’t really sure about her, but- “Nothing’s stopping me from piercing this spear through his heart right now.”

“And yet, you haven’t done it yet.” Veronica said calmly, causing Roman to lower the spear a little as he thought about Veronica’s words, before aiming it at her chest with a renewed vigor.

“Uhm... V, maybe... maybe you shouldn’t challenge him on that.” Patton spoke timidly. He did not like the way this was heading, again. Couldn’t these two stop fighting and talk to each other for like five seconds?

“He’s a big boy, he can handle it.” Veronica huffed. “Bedsides, something tells me he likes a challenge.” If he didn’t know any better Roman would almost believe that Veronica was trying to flirt with him. It grossed him out and made him even angrier than he already was. Who does this bitch think that she is?! 

“Veronica...” Patton, didn’t completely understand what was going on, but he definitely saw the effect it was having on Roman. Veronica had to stop talking, like right now. 

“You think you’re so amazing, don’t you?” Roman scoffed at Veronica’s word, eyes locking on her chest, but not in a ‘checking out her boobs’ way, no it was more of a ‘try that trick again and you’ll end up like Virgil’ kind of way. 

“Have you ever heard yourself talking?” Veronica easily bounced back, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Roman was about to kill her, their argument almost sounded like that of an old married couple arguing over who put back the milk after drinking it all, leaving an empty bottle in the cooler. 

“That’s ENOUGH! Behave! Both of you!” Patton called out in an authoritative voice. Trying to calm down his friends, that didn’t like each other one bit and would probably never like each other even if Patton had to admit that their personalities might have actually worked out under different circumstances. 

“But Patton!” Roman whined before once again remembering that Patton was the enemy here. “I don’t need to listen to you.”

“No, you don’t.” Veronica surprisingly agreed with Roman. “But it might just benefit you.”

“Explain.” Roman said with a raised eyebrow. 

“We’re working towards the same goal here, Roman.” Patton said before Veronica could say anything. He wanted to defuse the situation, but it didn’t really have the desired effect. 

“The same goa- She killed Virgil!” Roman screamed out, not paying attention to look of pure horror on Veronica’s face the moment he did. “She’s attacked me on multiple occasions, oh and you tried to poison me! How are we working towards the same goal here?! 

“Ssshh! Do you want D to hear us?” Veronica hissed out. This also helped her Remember that they were supposed to be fighting so she knocked over a bookcase while mouthing ‘distraction’ to the others. If they were paying attention they could hear a distraught Logan, who could only watch as life’s work was slowly destroyed by two groups of fighting witches. One with words and the others with combat, and yet both managed to ruin his library. 

“We did those things because D told us to do them. We didn’t want to!” Patton continued with his explanation as to why Roman should work with them, at least for now. 

“Hmm... maybe a little bit...” Veronica had no idea where that comment came from, but she quickly understood that it was not appreciated by the others. “Okay, okay a bad moment to joke! I get it. I’m sorry, Ro... for everything.” 

“Yeah, right!” Roman huffed, folding his arms over his chest. 

“I mean it! I am sorry!” Veronica was almost graveling now. “But like I said before there’s nothing I can do about it now! Patton took that moment to apologize for his own actions as well. 

“You see? She’s sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t want to poison you and I swear the poison was too weak to kill you anyway... even if it was D’s intention to kill you when you were weakened.” Patton’s voice went quiet at the end there, it was difficult to hear him over the sounds of struggle somewhere further up in the library.

“Can we hurry this up?! Remy is still fighting D alone there!” Veronica asked worried and a little panicky. Patton quickly going back to convince Roman to let them help fight Deceit. 

“Roman, we want to defeat D, so we can be free and no longer have to do things we don’t want to. You want to defeat D so he won’t kill you. So let’s work together and defeat D. together!” Patton said while fist bumping the air.

“Listen Roman, you can use all the help you can get.” Veronica said with a sigh. Thinking about what she was going to say next for a bit before continuing. “After that you... you don’t have to see me ever again.” 

“You promise?” Roman asked, and damn that cold look he was giving Veronica hurt. 

“Oh and I would say the same, but I kinda made up with Logan earlier and... I’m not sure how that would work as I wouldn’t want to get between your friendship.” Patton spoke up, unaware of the stare off between the other two.

“Speaking of Logan... where is he?” Roman asked once he was broken out of the trancelike state that the dark pools in Veronica’s eyes had pulled him into. 

“Oh he’s upstairs.” Patton shrugged cheerfully as if it was just another normal day at the library and Logan was simply working on something on the second floor. 

“You brought him back here?!” Veronica hissed. “D. told you to get rid of him. We talked about this! You would bring him to your house remember?!”

“I did! But then he wanted to help once I explained everything to him and so I kinda took him back...” Patton looked at the ground while playing with the sleeves of the cardigan that lay over his shoulders. 

“First you almost poison me and then you get my best friend in danger after getting him out of it first?!” Roman was getting real tired of these two Umbra he which he was supposed to just trust to help him fight Deceit... they weren’t really making a strong case for themselves. 

“Ro, we don’t have time for this!” Veronica in turn was getting tired of the constant arguing, and especially of Roman talking badly about Patton. 

“She is correct.” Another voice spoke up from behind Veronica and she jumped a little before realizing who it was and registering that he was actually on her side of the argument. 

“Logan!” Patton exclaimed enthusiastically upon seeing his boyfriend again. Roman gave him a small smile in return, before addressing the reason he had come out of his hiding spot.

“I felt the need to make my presence known as Remy is currently not fairing well in his battle against D. And could definitely use your help. And with your I mean all of you.” He spoke with a stern voice. 

All men... and woman turned towards the fight between Remy and Deceit, to see how much truth Logan’s words were holding, even if they all knew better than to doubt their little nerd. Remy indeed seemed to be struggling to keep up. 

They looked at each other with a mix of fear and determination in their eyes until Roman spoke up. “Fine. We’ll work together. For now. But of any of you double crosses me here, you will be sorry.” The two Umbra nodded at Roman’s words and everyone once again turned towards the battle they were about to join. 

Before they marched into battle, Roman remembered the piece of paper in his pocket. Maybe what’s written on this paper can tell him whether or not to trust the two Umbra he was about to fight alongside with. 

It would be very anticlimactic if it was just a blank piece of paper left over, or some sort of receipt or something, maybe even a grocery list, but still, while the others weren’t looking, Roman took out the paper and read what was written on it. 

And he must admit he definitely didn’t expect the words that were written on it, or the perfect cursive handwriting that was a clue to the person who had written it, well... that and the fact that the note was fucking signed. 

Yeah, everyone who read the note would know exactly who had written it. The question is... how did Veronica get it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm... I wonder what could be written on that note... 
> 
> Any guesses? 
> 
> Also next chapter will be everyone vs Deceit, so get ready for some wild action and shocking twists!


	23. Light vs Shadows part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s boss battle time!
> 
> Trigger warning!  
> This chapter contains:  
> Mentions of blood and injury  
> Fighting  
> Manipulation

“Remy!” Veronica yelled as she dove in front of her brother to avoid him getting hit by Deceit’s magic. It probably wasn’t the first hit he would have to deal with, but Veronica was happy to stop this one for him anyway. 

“My my, Veronica, that’s quite the entrance.” Deceit said calmly, but Veronica could hear the surprise in his voice. Good. He hadn’t expected her to be there. “Is Hecate’s kid dealt with already?” He asked. He didn’t see any other reason for her to be there at that moment. 

Veronica just smirked towards him in response as Deceit walked up to her and caressed her cheek, his mark once again appearing and he quickly wondered why she had covered it up in the first place. Still he couldn’t be angry with her about that if she had just defeated the ‘strongest Lux ever’. Pff what a joke. 

“Remy, I expected better from you. You couldn’t even train one of the most powerful Lux to stand up against plain ol’ little Veronica over here.” Deceit chuckled arrogantly. He clearly believed that Veronica’s success was solely on him. 

“Veronica... is strong...” Remy said through gritted teeth. He wasn’t convinced that Veronica had beaten Roman, as he still wasn’t convinced that she was working for Deceit again... not after all she had told him in that bar that day. 

“I never doubted that she was. That’s why I picked her over you all those years ago.” Deceit’s smirk was deadly and overconfident.

“Bitch.” Remy simply said, not granting Deceit the satisfaction to see if his statement had hurt the Lux’ feelings.

“Now now, Remy. I was considering letting you live now that Roman is gone.” Deceit clicked his tongue condescendingly. 

“Oh I never said he was.” Veronica’s said with a smirk of her own.

“What?!” Deceit shouted, turning away from Remy to face Veronica. 

“You just assumed.” As Veronica said that in a sultry sweet voice, Roman jumped up from where he was hiding behind a couch and struck Deceit with his spear. However Deceit was smart and he recovered from Veronica’s betrayal a lot quicker than anyone expected. He dodged the spear with ease and fired back a quick attack of his own to give himself enough time to disappear into the shadows. 

Roman, Logan, Patton and Veronica hadn’t had time to plan much, before the attack, but the general idea was to get Deceit restrained before using the most powerful spell from Hecate’s book on him. A spell that had only been used once, by the very first Lux to attack the Devil himself! It would form a circle of light around Deceit, which should burn him to a crisp, since he was an Umbra and Lux magic tended to do that to Umbra. 

Now that Deceit had disappeared Veronica quickly looked to see if she could find any major injuries on Remy, but luckily her annoying bitch of a twin brother was alright. He had some spots that would probably become some nasty bruises, but nothing that required immediate care. 

Logan was the first to notice where Deceit reappeared, mainly because there suddenly was a hand over his mouth, a knife uncomfortably close to his throat and two hands holding his arms behind his back. Logan quickly wondered how this was possible, before realizing that a lot was possible if you added magic to the equation. 

Patton was the second to notice as he was the closest to Logan. And as he saw Deceit standing behind his boyfriend, keeping him in place with six arms, one of which holding a knife, he squeaked anxiously. His sound made Veronica and Roman look up, slowly followed by Remy, who honestly only looked because Veronica did.

“Shit.” The Umbra and two Lux swore under their breath. They hadn’t exactly counted on a hostage situation. 

“Since you are so keen on keeping ‘innocents’ out of this.” Deceit started, before pausing for dramatic effect. “I have a proposition for you.” 

“Which is?” Roman asked, clearly suspended and for a good reason.

“Witches.” Patton giggled nervously. Maybe he unconsciously tried to lighten the mood, but if he was, it wasn’t even working for himself.

“Hecate’s kid, for the librarian.” Everyone looked at Deceit in shock. “I know it sounds like an unfair deal, but you lot do seem to value the life of an innocent over that of a witch. Just look at his little boyfriend... Virgin was it?” The glee in Deceit’s eyes told everyone that he had said it that way on purpose.

“Virgil.” Roman corrected him bitterly.

“You just keep saying he’s innocent, he didn’t deserve this blah blah. Veronica told me all about it, didn’t you dear?” Hearing that, Veronica shot up from beside her brother, making herself tall and hopefully a bit more intimidating.

“I’m done being your ‘dear’. I was done being your ‘dear’ ten years ago. The only reason I came back was to help Patton!” Veronica shouted, before quietly mumbling to herself. “Nobody else was gonna do it.” She hadn’t meant for anyone to hear it, but she was still close to Remy and even Roman looked around at her. Both seemed guilty, Roman more so than Remy, but Remy didn’t really know Patton so he was forgiven. 

“And wouldn’t our Patton over here be happier with a boyfriend that is alive? To be fair, it’s not like Roman still has that privilege.” At that comment Roman became truly dangerous. Even when fighting Veronica he hadn’t been this mad. He couldn’t be for some reason, but now, with the man in front of him who had ruined Patton and Virgil’s lives and was currently holding Logan hostage? Roman felt a fire within him finally coming to life as if Pandora’s Pot was opened, yes it was a pot/vase not a box look it up. He stood tall as he started to say the first of many spells he would use against Deceit that night, making sure that it was a spell that would merely burn Deceit and not hurt Logan. 

Deceit had to duck away in the shadows once again and Logan was released, but they knew it wouldn’t take long before Deceit came back.

“Blue, take Logan out of here!” Veronica yelled. Calling Patton, Blue, so he would hopefully listen to her command like he used to back at the camp. Upon hearing a Veronica, Patton dragged Logan out to the cafe, that was a safe distance from where the fight was taking place currently. 

As predicted it didn’t take long for Deceit to reappear. He shot out a trail of shadows from his feet, that knocked the three remaining witches over. Soon after that, the real battle commenced.

Every few seconds another witch would fly by Patton and Logan’s hiding spot, whether that was because the were restrained and lifted into the air, or because the were hit by a spell, shadow or energy ball. 

Veronica got hit at here side, causing the scrape that Roman had left her with, to turn into an actual wound that she should probably get checked out if she got out of this alive. She was bleeding, but hid it with some magic, her dress was black anyway, she couldn’t show weakness in front of Deceit. 

Remy was throwing magic light ropes left and right, but since Deceit could just sink out at any time he pleased, he was unable to catch the Umbra. 

“Roman! Light up the library so Deceit can’t sink out! Veronica pull the shadows away from him.” Remy yelled, and that was probably the first time Veronica got to see how much her brother had learned and matured over the time that they had been separated. The first time he dropped the sarcasm and the act that he didn’t care about anything but himself. She was very proud of her twin. Not that she was going to say that out loud. She hoped it could just be an understood thing.

“You couldn’t come up with that sooner?” She yelled back while doing exactly what Remy had told her to. Roman quickly doing the same. There was one spot though, that he couldn’t get lit up no matter what and it was frustrating him to no end. 

“It’s not like you suggested something sooner, Vergy!” Remy yelled back at his sister, using one of his old nicknames for her that almost made Roman stop in his tracks, but he couldn’t afford being distracted right now. 

Finally Remy managed to catch Deceit around the waist, but with Deceit’s ‘Lux safe’ clothing, it wasn’t much more than a rope holding him down, temporarily. 

“Rem, Ro, Hurry...” Veronica huffed out weakly. Deceit was constantly trying to pull the shadows back to himself and it was quickly tiring Veronica out. She was straining to keep the shadows away, while concealing her wound that was still bleeding into the fabric of her dress. 

Deceit stills in his bounds, is just smirking towards the witches that dared to fight against them. “Funny how you two work together with someone like Veronica. Someone from the dark side.” He chuckled cockily. “You do know that she has lied to the both of you on multiple occasions, right? Who says you can trust her now? I bet she just wants to end me to take my place! She wants the power that the Devil has to offer for herself, whereas I would have shared it! She’s a liar! Just think about what she’s done to Virgil! Torturing him every single day, using him to torture you! If you just let me do this, Roman. I promise I will make it quick and painless. Nothing like what Veronica would do.” 

Roman didn’t know exactly what overcame him, but he felt the need to protect. Protect what? Virgil? Veronica? Vergy? The note was burning in his pocket. He was so close he just didn’t understand it! How was everything connected? What was a lie and what was the truth? One thing Roman was sure of however. Deceit lies, it’s literally his name! All the energy he had used to keep the library lit was sent crashing towards Deceit and the Umbra fell to the ground next to the little corner that had remained shadowy through it all. During his fall he knocked over some candles, causing a fire that quickly spread from book to book and shelf to shelf, but right now, nobody, well except from Logan, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. They should probably get out of the library like right now! 

Deceit wasn’t moving. Had they... had they won? They couldn’t believe it! Roman casted the spell and when the light slowly faded out there was nothing left. Deceit was... gone. There was nothing left of him... like he had never been there in the first place... why did that make Roman feel uneasy? He should be happy that it’s all over! It is, right? 

Roman and Veronica fell to the ground at pretty much the same time. The difference is that Roman was just exhausted from using so much energy and Veronica... well she was still bleeding and by now she had lost quite a lot of blood. 

“We need to get out of here!” Logan shouted, grabbing Roman’s arm to support him. “This place is gonna burn down.” 

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that I guess...” Remy chuckled awkwardly.

“We will talk about that later. Currently I am just pleased that all of us made it out alive.” Logan sight before coughing from the smoke he had inhaled. 

Patton grabbed Veronica and helped to get her up her feet as well. She was a little too heavy for his liking. It meant that she was really putting a lot of her weight on him. She must be injured worse than she shows. Patton couldn’t see it through the smoke that was forming all around them. They should get out of here, fast!

The shadows next to where Deceit’s body had been, faded away and behind them was something nobody had expected, for various reasons. 

“Virgil...” Roman coughed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virgil was alive all along. O.o  
> Who would have guessed?


	24. Virgil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Virgil is alive.  
> That’s a good thing!
> 
> ...
> 
> right?

“Virgil...” Roman coughed out, his doubts and disappearing as fast as the burning books around him. For so long he had believed that he would never see Virgil again and now he was here! Standing in a lost library amidst burning books and furniture. The smoke made it a little difficult to see, but that was Virgil alright! Roman could make out Virgil’s clothing, similar to what he was wearing on the day the met. His brown satchel, his worn cloak, filthy pants... why were they filthy? What had they done to him? What had Veronica done to him? How had she gotten that note? Why did Virgil still have that note anyway?

“Roman!” Virgil ran up to Roman and Logan who was still holding him up. “Oh my! I... I thought I would never see you again!” Virgil let himself fall into Roman’s open arms, but instead of melting in his boyfriends embrace, Roman stiffened up. Was this the way that Virgil always spoke? 

“Roman we need to go, now! It’s wonderful that Virgil is back, but we need to get out of here , before the structure gives in and collapses on us!” Logan said to his friend with hurry in his voice.

“Yeah, that seems like a great idea, librarian dude!” Remy agreed, very much ready to book it.

“Roman...” Veronica muttered, but it was weak, only Patton could hear it and her weak tone was more alarming to him than what she was saying. She had to tell Roman somehow! She had to- When they got out of here... She could tell him once she didn’t had to care about smoke filling her lungs and every agonizing cough that followed. She just hoped it would be fast enough.

“Go ahead! We’ll be right behind you!” Roman said to Logan, while still awkwardly holding a trembling Virgil in his arms. 

“No, no no no no....” Veronica almost whispered with how quiet she was. This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t leave Roman alone with... that. That wasn’t Virgil! She knew it wasn’t Virgil! She had gotten rid of Virgil! Deceit couldn’t get to him because there was nothing to get to! It wasn’t Virgil... but it wasn’t an illusion either. They... they hugged each other. You can’t touch illusions!

“Are you sure?” Logan asked, clearly getting ready to leave. 

“No...” Veronica grunted out, just as Patton touched her wounded side. 

“Logan, I think Veronica is bleeding!” Patton yelled through thick smoke, after he felt his hand get wet from touching the wounded piece of exposed skin on her side and hearing her say ‘no’. It wasn’t why she said it though. No, she just recalled that Deceit may not have been the best at illusions, but he was a master at transforming his own body. Veronica was good too, better than most witches, but definitely not at Deceit’s level. Where most witches could only transform themselves into a cat and maybe a secondary animal, Deceit could transform himself into almost anything he had ever seen... but when-? “Can you help me get her out! I’m sure Ro can handle himself.” 

“Patton...” an empty plea bubbled of Veronica’s lips, but Patton didn’t understand. Nobody did. Whatever happened, Roman shouldn’t be left alone with Deceit, ever. 

“Of course, Patton.” Logan left Roman and walked over to Patton and Veronica, Remy quickly joining them. 

“Don’t worry V! You’re gonna be alright! We all are! We’ve won!” Patton promised, but he didn’t know any better.

“I would put up a barrier against the smoke and debris, but it’s too risky for our Umbra friends here.” Remy wondered out loud, what the best strategy of getting out of the library was. 

“We should simply get out of here swiftly.” Logan stated, trying to be helpful, but he just ended up being captain obvious. Remy didn’t seem to mind, though.

“I could teleport us out of here, but again I don’t know how it’ll affect Patton and Veronica.” It would leave some burning handprints for about a week, Veronica wanted to snark at her brother, but now really wasn’t the time.

“We can shadow travel out.” She said instead.

“Are you sure? You’re wounded and I can’t travel with someone else.” Veronica could see that Patton was ashamed that he still couldn’t shadow travel very well.

“It’s okay, I still got enough energy. Just... catch me on the other side, okay?” She knew she was going to faint if she used her energy to get out of here, but for now she just had to stay a little longer to make sure that Roman wouldn’t be alone with Deceit.

“Okay... Remy, you can teleport! We’ll use the shadows” Patton confirmed their decision. 

“You’ve got it, dude! See you on the flip side!” And with phrase Remy and Logan disappeared into a flash of light. Patton soon followed them leaving Roman, Veronica and ‘Virgil’ alone in the library. 

“Come on Virge, let’s get out of here!” Roman said, tugging on Virgils cloak a bit, it didn’t feel as comfortable as usual. Even though that thing was old and worn it was still made of a very soft fabric. It didn’t feel as soft right now...

“Roman wait!” Virgil said suddenly, grabbing Roman’s shoulders to keep them close to each other.

“Wha-?” Roman didn’t even get a chance to finish that sentence as Virgil already spoke up again.

“Kiss me.” He said suddenly and seductively and it might have worked if it wasn’t for the fact that they were inside a burning building! 

“Right now?” Roman questioned Virgil’s sudden and kinda ridiculous request.

“ROMAN NO!” Two voices screamed at the same time, only from one of the people who Roman heard... his mouth wasn’t moving. Just one person had shouted for him to stop. One person with two voices. Veronica. Roman didn’t think anyone but him heard it, the second voice, but he would be a fool if he didn’t listen to it and in the same time to his heart. 

That was when he saw it. Up close he could see all the little details that weren’t quite right. The eyes that were a not the correct color of brown, the old dirty clothing, Virgil had stopped wearing after Roman had taken him in, and definitely wasn’t wearing when he disappeared, the freckles that were just too light and his posture a bit too straight. Just the little things, combined with what Roman already knew made him realize that the person in front of him wasn’t Virgil. It was as if someone tried to copy someone else’s handwriting, but the dots on the i’s and the stripes on the t’s were wrong. It just wasn’t the same thing in the end. 

And so Roman refused to kiss Virgil. A man that wasn’t usually someone for public displays of affection anyway. Virgil looked at him, slightly betrayed. 

“Roman... why... why not?” There was a bitter undertone to Virgil’s words that could best be described as hidden annoyance. “I was so scared back there! I just want to... need to kiss you! To know that it’s really you!” Virgil clamped himself against Roman searching for affection that he didn’t receive. 

“You already know it’s me, Virgil.” A spear of light was forming in Roman’s closed fist, but ‘Virgil’ couldn’t see it through the light already coming from the flames around them. “And just a tip. Virgil would never admit that he was scared.” Roman stabbed the ‘Virgil’ in front of him with the spear. The figure fell to the ground screaming in agony, it wanted to retreat in the shadows again, but the shadows were gone so it could do nothing but lay there in agonizing pain. Roman stopped it’s suffering by thrusting another spear through its heart. 

Virgil’s face disappeared and left behind the face of a lying tormenter. Deceit, with his half burned face and snake tattoo and all, was laying at Roman’s feet. Dead. It was really over now. Roman finally felt the relief he thought he would feel after killing Deceit the first time, but he guessed it had somehow been an illusion. 

Now he was certain Deceit was dead, the body on the floor a truth he could touch. Deceit was gone. He was save. Everyone was safe. At the moment he said that a burning piece of banister came falling from the balcony... Okay... maybe not safe yet. He had to get out of here!

Veronica lay there in the library. She wasn’t unconscious, but she was too weak to get up by herself. She had used her last energy, that she should have used for getting out, to stop Deceit from hiding in the shadows, so Roman could finish him. Now she was stuck there. Laying on the ground. It was okay. Really. She hadn’t put much hope upon surviving this battle in the first place. That’s why Virgil had to die. She couldn’t let Roman live on constantly wondering where Virgil had gone, where she, or Deceit, had taken him, whether he was scared or alone. Virgil had to be dead, so Roman could move on if Veronica would die in battle. And right here inside a library that was quickly burning down she had no doubt she would.

At least they had won. Nobody would ever be kidnapped, forced to become a witch or killed by Deceit ever again. In the distance she could hear someone shouting something. She couldn’t hear who was shouting or what they were shouting. It felt as if she was underwater, even though there was fire around her. Her head filled with cotton and smoke... so much smoke. 

Veronica’s sight slowly faded away as she drifted into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw through all the smoke and flames was Roman. A nice thing to be the last thing to see. 

Roman had been about to go after his friends, who he believed had all escaped the library by now, when he saw another figure laying near the steps, behind the broken banister, that had almost caused Roman to miss them. Who had stayed behind? Who... had they been hit by the banister? 

Roman started shouting. “Hey! Are you okay?” As he got closer he recognized who it was. For real this time. He finally felt like he knew who the person, that was kinda dying right in front of him, was. And he couldn’t let them die. “Veronica! You’re going to be okay! Okay? Okay.” Roman leaned over her the moment her eyes closed and didn’t open again. This was bad. They needed to get out of here quickly, but he couldn’t just teleport with an Umbra in his arms... or maybe he could. Maybe he has done so before.

A second later Roman appeared behind the library, as people had probably gathered at the front after seeing the building go up in flames. The others seemed to have the same idea as Patton, Logan and Remy were currently looking at Roman as if they had seen a ghost. 

“Veronica!” Remy and Patton shouted as Roman lowered her on the ground. Patton started fussing over her immediately, disappearing shortly before coming back with a small bottle and some bandages. 

“I got them from Logan’s house... I’ve still got some stuff there.” He explained nervously, not noticing that Logan visibly cringed at the fact that Patton didn’t think Logan’s house was Patton’s as well. “This should stop the bleeding and speed up the healing process.” 

As Patton and Remy were working on Veronica, Logan tended Roman’s wounds, Logan realized something. “Where is Virgil?” He asked. 

“The man we saw wasn’t Virgil... it... it was Deceit. He almost fooled me.” Roman answered with a heavy heart. “But he didn’t! I don’t get fooled that easily!” His eyes unconsciously traveled towards Veronica. “Is she gonna make it?”

“Yeah, she should be fine.” Patton said with a sigh. “You know, she taught me how to make this stuff.” He chuckled. “She knows here potions.”

“Even if she hated those lessons with a passion.” Remy told the others, his eyes not leaving his sister, who he hadn’t seen this vulnerable in... well... ever.

“What are we going to do with her now?” Patton asked, not knowing if Veronica had a home where they could bring her too, and where that home would be.

“She can stay with me.” Roman answered maybe a little too quickly. Getting him some eyebrow raises. 

“Roman... are you sure? She has still... you know.” Patton said carefully. He didn’t like reminding Roman, but he wanted to protect both Roman and Veronica from any rushed decisions there was no going back from. They’ve had to make enough of those lately.

“Yeah, I know... but without her I could have very well been dead as well.” Patton noticed that Roman smiled lovingly at Veronica, but didn’t mention it. “The least I could do is giving her a place to stay for a while.” Roman sighed as he brushes his hand through his hair. It was filled with ashes, but for once he didn’t care about his hair. They had made it out alive. ALL of them.


	25. Starting over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can you feel the love tonight?

Roman woke up with a start from the umpteenth nightmare that evening. It was Virgil. This time it was Virgil. Roman was sure he had killed all his friends at least three times in his dreams by now. This dream was by far the most painful, though. It had been almost identical to the real fight, only when Roman killed the fake Virgil, his face didn’t turn back to Deceit. Roman had made the worst mistake of his life. He had gotten back the one thing he wanted most, it was basically handed to him, and he killed it with his own magic. Deceit and Veronica had been laughing like a pack of crazy hyenas at Roman’s mistake and- Veronica...

Roman sat up and looked at the little piece of paper on the table next to him. He couldn’t read it in the dark, but he had memorized by heart now. It was such a stupid thing to remember too. Just a little note, it hadn’t meant much more to Roman... but to Virgil it apparently had. Virgil...

Roman got up from the couch, that wasn’t bringing him much sleep and walked to his bedroom. He wanted nothing more than to sleep in his own bed, but he didn’t think Veronica would appreciate that when she woke up. He stood in his doorframe and watched her sleep for a little, to calm himself down after his nightmare and to convince himself that he had done the right thing. That he hadn’t really killed Virgil and that Deceit was permanently gone... well not permanently, he would still haunt Roman’s dreams for a while, but Roman would get through it with the help of his friends... and hopefully...

Roman shuffled back to the couch and threw his blanket over himself again. This would be a long night.

... 

Patton could just stop himself from screaming as he woke up. In his dream Logan had been furious with him, but Patton didn’t know what he had done wrong so he asked Logan and Logan opened a door, and behind that door were bodies... not just any bodies... dead bodies of... of his friends. Logan was yelling at him how all of this was Patton’s fault and that was when Patton noticed that Logan’s body was in there as well and the screaming Logan disappeared and Patton was alone... responsible for the death of the people he loved. 

Patton stood up and walked to the stairs, he just had to check, he just wanted to see Logan asleep in thei- his bed. They may have made things up, but that didn’t mean that they were back where they once were. Patton carefully opened the bedroom door to make sure it wouldn’t creak. 

But Patton didn’t find Logan asleep in his bed. No, Logan was sitting up, looking straight (ha) up at Patton, his eyes big as if he was scared and it hurt Patton to see him like that. Patton wanted to comfort him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the reason that Logan was scared in the first place, so he apologized and turned around again to go back to the couch when Logan realized that the blurry figure in his doorway had been Patton. 

“Wait.” Logan spoke with an emotion he usually tried to keep out of his voice. Patton waited patiently until Logan’s sleepy brain could formulate what he wanted to say. Eventually Logan settled on a simple “stay.” 

“Are you sure?” Patton asked timidly. 

Logan nodded “It seems as if both of us are having trouble getting the optimal amount of sleep after everything that has happened.” 

“Yeah... nightmares and all that...” Patton chuckled awkwardly, before sighing. His eyes drifting towards the floor as he leaned against the doorframe.

“The past has proven the both of us to sleep better in each other’s company.” Logan stated with a yawn.

“Wait...You mean... Really” Patton stuttered out.

“Yes, Patton. Really.” At hearing those words, Patton jumped next to Logan into the bed. The two quickly fell asleep in each other’s arms as they had done many nights before and for tonight the nightmares no longer plagued their sleep. 

...

They woke up in a familiar bed with familiar sheets. They were wearing familiar clothes that somehow were a little tight around the chest area, but the fabric still felt as soft as it usually did. They opened their eyes and took in the familiar room, with that familiar streak of light that made its way through the curtains. There was nobody laying beside them, but they didn’t care. Memories of a distant nightmare flashed through their mind and for a moment they wondered if it had been real, but if it was, they wouldn’t be here. 

At least that’s what they thought until their gaze drifted towards their pillow and they saw long strands of black hair. Too long strands of black hair. Her hair. She looked down her body to confirm the reason that her shirt had been to tight around the chest and when she shot up in shock the healing wound on her side flared up. 

It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t another nightmare about Deceit. It was real. It had really happened! And still she somehow found herself waking up in Roman’s bed. For a moment she wondered if this was the dream instead, some grim reminder of what she couldn’t have, but the sound of movement from another room in the house quickly broke through those thoughts. 

With a little effort she dragged herself out of the warm and comfortable bed and made her way to the kitchen. In there Roman was frying some eggs while humming a song to himself. It looked like such a normal morning, like nothing had happened yesterday, but as Veronica came closer, she could see the dark circles under Roman’s eyes and the pile of burned eggs that lay on a towel on the counter. How long had he been frying eggs for? Veronica wondered as she looked at the blackened pile of egg. How do you even mess up frying an egg? 

“Hey.” She said once she was at an appropriate distance to do so.

“Hey. You’re awake.” Roman greeted her, noticing that she had already made her way into the kitchen and seemed to fight the need to sit on the counter, cute.

“Yeah.” She answered awkwardly standing there, not knowing what to do with her body language. 

“I wanted to have breakfast ready before you woke up...” he smiled sheepishly at her, before turning his gaze back to the eggs. 

“How long exactly have you been trying to do that?” She pointed at the egg pile, but Roman didn’t see it. He just stared at the eggs in his frying pan.

“A while.” He answered eventually. 

It was quiet after that, until Veronica started playing with her sleeve a little and was once again reminded of what she was wearing. “You dressed me.” 

“I thought it would be more comfortable.” Roman answered truthfully. Purposely ignoring the fact that he had kinda had to undress Veronica first.

“It is.” Veronica agreed, choosing to ignore that fact as well.

“Good.” This whole conversation was just painful, with how awkward it was. “You’re lucky the dress was black, otherwise it would have been ruined by the... uh... blood.”

“I don’t care much for dresses from a distant life.” 

“Okay. I’ll make sure to let Patton know, that he doesn’t have to try to fix it then.” 

“So... thanks for letting me crash here I guess? I should probably get going now.“ Veronica started to turn away so she could get her stuff and get out of here, when Roman asked her a question.

“Can we start over?” He asked out of the blue.

“What? You mean like all of this never happened? The battle? The... things that happened before?” Veronica wasn’t sure what he was getting at. She had done some unforgivable things and he just wanted to forgive and forget? What had happened to Roman? Did he have a concussion?

“Preferably.” Roman’s eyes left the eggs once more to look Veronica in the eyes. 

“Yes?” She said, not sure if that was the correct answer. 

“Perfect!” It sounded as if he had been planning something and she just unknowingly agreed to the terms and conditions. This was suspicious. “Would you follow me outside for a second?” 

“Sure?” Once again it sounded more as if she was asking a question than giving Roman a solid answer, but he didn’t mind. 

Despite Roman asking her to follow him, Veronica was the first to step outside, into the streets that were still empty at the early hour. She heard the door slam shut behind her... Roman had looked her out... and she wasn’t even wearing shoes... She guessed she deserved it, but it still sucked that some of her stuff was still inside.

“Uhm... Roman?” She knocked on the door, but nobody answered. 

And then...

“Mew” Veronica looked down to the ground to see a red cat with golden eyes next to her.

“Roman?” She asked the little creature. “Why- What are you doing?”

As if it was an answer, the cat jumped up against her leg and climbed upwards, sharp nails pressing in Veronica’s skin. 

“Ow, Roman no! No! Boobs ow! Get your nails out of my- OW! Chest please!” After climbing Veronica, cat Roman jumped off her shoulder, walked back to his house and jumped in through the bedroom window as if he had accomplished something truly amazing. 

“What the fuck, Roman?!” Veronica shouted towards the house. Her hand went up to her sore chest when it suddenly bumped against something cold. Her hand grabbed around the cold object to feel a key hanging from a cord around her neck. 

Roman’s words from earlier were ringing through her head. “Can we start over?” Together with the clothes and the bed, even the breakfast, Veronica realized what was going on. 

Roman knows. 

She yanks the cord from around her neck and puts the key in the lock of Roman’s front door. She hesitates but eventually turns it and... click! The door opened.

Veronica ran inside. “How?!” She asked to the seemingly empty room, but she knew better. Roman was there somewhere, because he had been when she had first set foot in this house. 

Roman came up behind her and wrapped one of his arms around her waist. In his other hand he was holding out a note for her to read. 

“This fell from your cloak during our fight.” He explained, before she could start reading it.

“Thank you, kind stranger.  
-Roman” 

“Together with some other clues... and your voice when Deceit almost kissed me... suddenly I just... knew. You know?” He pressed Veronica a little closer to himself. 

“So... what happens now?” Veronica asked after enjoying Roman’s touch for a while. Apparently she had gotten so used to physical forms of affection that she had gotten quite touch starved during the last few weeks. And now that she was back in Roman’s arms, she would savor his embrace.

“Now, I want nothing more than to kiss you, Virgil.” Roman admitted as he turned around his... boyfriend? Girlfriend? Were they even still in a relationship?

“Do you want to kiss Veronica, or Virgil?” Veronica teased, but there was a nervousness in her voice. Now that Roman knew who she was, he had to accept and want to love the whole person, not just Virgil. Virgil couldn’t pretend that that’s all he is anymore. 

“I want to kiss the person you want to be. Both of you are beautiful and most importantly, you.” Roman answered, already leaning in for a kiss, but giving Veronica the time to pull away. Instead she shape-shifted back into Virgil again, for the first time in forever, and planted her lips on Roman’s. Also for the first time in forever.

They kissed, sharing a special moment in the living room until they started to smell smoke.

“Roman?”

“Shit! The eggs!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big reveal may not have been as big as expected, but here it is!
> 
> You guys were right! Virgil is alive and is also an Umbra called Veronica, who really doesn’t care much about gender. Why would you if you could shapeshift, right?


	26. Wishes do come true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is really grateful that Roman is alive and well.

After breakfast, that consisted out of some toast with jam after Roman had also burned the last of the eggs, Virgil went back to bed to further recover from her injury, plus it’s not like he minded getting some extra sleep as he usually liked to sleep until noon anyway. Roman went out, but Virgil didn’t ask why. However when he woke up and Roman still hadn’t come back he started to get suspicious. By now it was around three in the afternoon and Virgil had just finished a small lunch, when someone knocked on the door, lightly and very un-Roman-like. Virgil debated his options for a second before shifting back to Veronica. She tied her long hair up with a string as she carefully made her way towards the door and opened it.

In front of her stood one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. The woman’s brownish red hair was a natural combination of waves and curls and reached to her midriff, her eyes were the green/blue color of the prettiest lagoons in the Mediterranean sea with little sandy gold islands in them and her figure was so flawless that even Veronica who couldn’t care less about a feminine figure was a little jealous. And if all of these things weren’t enough to make Veronica feel painfully aware of the pajamas she was wearing or the unbrushed hair she had just tied back without looking in a mirror, there was something even more embarrassing and uncomfortable about this encounter. 

That thing was that Veronica was painfully aware of the identity of the person she had just greeted with a simple ‘hey, Roman isn’t here at the moment’. How could she not after years and years of lessons about Lux history and Greek mythology? The woman standing in front of her right now was... Roman’s mother, the goddess Hecate, a goddess Veronica had often prayed to, but who only seemed to have heard her prayer once and that was when her son’s life was on the line. 

“Oh shit...” the words slipped out of her mouth without realizing it and Veronica was sure those would be the last words ever slipping out. She was so dead. 

The woman giggled at Veronica’s loss for words. “Veronica of Boroë, daughter of Andor and Verona of Boroë.” Veronica was shaking at the goddess’ words. This was the moment she would be condemned for asking for Hecate’s help as an Umbra, for hurting her son and for all the years she had worked for Deceit willingly. Greek gods were never forgiving. They came up with the worst punishments! You thought pushing a rock up a hill for all eternity was bad? What did you think about having birds pick out your organs all day long and having your body heal at night, only for the birds to come back in the morning? The gods also challenged humans so much that in the end being turned into an animal or a tree was often seen as an act of mercy. “And savior of my son and his friends.” 

“Wait what now?” As Veronica was stuttering her way through that sentence, Roman stepped into view with a huge smirk on his face. 

“The legends of the old Greeks are ancient history, dear one. I’m not here to challenge you or punish you for past mistakes.” Veronica let out a breath she was very aware that she had been holding ever since Roman’s mother had first called her name. “I’m actually here to show my appreciation to both you, your brother and your other Umbra friend, Patton, for protecting my boys.”

“Boys? Plural?” Veronica wondered if this would be the time that Hecate would tell her Roman had a secret twin brother or something. 

“She means Logan. She’s got a weak spot for him.” Roman chuckled. He liked making his mother a little bit flustered, and now that he knew that she was a goddess doing just that was even funnier to him.

“Roman!” Hecate warned her son, but there was no real anger in her voice

“You were the one saying boys!” Roman defended himself, holding his hands up in feigned innocence.

“Logan has been a good friend for you for years and has managed to keep you out of trouble... until trouble found you.” She teased Roman back. “I am not referring to you, Virgil, by the way.” Hecate clarified quickly.

“Thank you for clarifying. Veronica smiled politely. “Both about the trouble and the fact that you know about my complete and... complicated identity.” Veronica clarified as well. 

“We’re meeting Logan, Patton and Remy at that very pretty clearing in the woods just outside the village!” Roman told her enthusiastically, without telling her exactly what they were going to be doing there.

“Do you want to change before go?” Hecate asked and Veronica really had to think about that question. Usually someone would mean change clothing, but Veronica was sure that was not what Hecate had asked. 

“No, no I don’t think I want to.” Veronica put on her shoes, that she had been wearing at the battle and combed her hair, before walking out of the house. Roman looked a little disappointed, knowing that if she wouldn’t tell the others that she was actually Virgil, he couldn’t show any affection towards her. But Roman wasn’t going to push V. and neither was his mother.

“That’s okay. Everything at its own time.” Hecate said with a comforting smile.

When they arrived at the clearing Remy reacted in a similar way as Veronica to seeing Roman’s mother in the flesh. Patton immediately introduced himself politely and Logan simply greeted her like anyone would greet the mother of a good friend. Leaving Remy absolutely gobsmacked and Veronica had to admit that the way the two of them first reacted to this goddess, who now looked like such an ordinary woman hanging out with her son’s friends, now seemed a little ridiculous. 

“As a conversation starter, I would like to clarify to those who have studied Greek mythology that most of the gods have significantly mellowed down since we left humankind to deal with their own problems and that any gifts or kind words are given without any trickery or test of character in mind” Hecate started, because she knew the way that Remy was looking at her too well.

“Thank goodness!” He sighed out. Remy hadn’t exactly been ready for the wrath of a god. Especially not so close to the whole battle between good and evil thing.

“These past few days must have been troubling for all of you.” The goddess spoke. “And then to believe that some of you have endured these terrors for many years.” She looked at Patton and Veronica, the first feeling the need to speak up, so Roman’s mother wouldn’t feel bad.

“That’s okay. There’s not much you could’ve done about it. We aren’t really your kind of witch anyway...” But Patton didn’t get very far trying to tell Hecate that it wasn’t her fault.

“She’s the goddess of witchcraft in general.” Veronica interrupted Patton coldly. “If you believe in the Greek gods, then you should fall under her protection in some form.”

“Good to hear that you still believe that, Veronica. I must admit I was worried once you stopped praying.” Hecate didn’t react to the chill in Veronica’s voice, or maybe she didn’t notice it. 

“It’s not like my prayers were ever answered anyway.” Veronica stared at the goddess. She wasn’t mad at Hecate per se, but she also couldn’t let go of the feelings of abandonment she felt back then. 

“You actually still prayed to Hecate while you were at the camp?! What did snake face have to say about that?” Remy joked, probably because he was feeling highly uncomfortable with the current situation.

“He didn’t fucking know you idiot.” Veronica hissed back.

“Now sis where did you develop such a potty mouth? That’s not how our parents have fucking raised us, god dammit!” They stared at each other for a moment after that, before bursting out in laughter. Veronica quickly turned serious again to explain.

“I used to sneak out to pray. There was this hill at the edge of the camp. I had been praying for years, but nothing ever happened... until one day there was a boy sitting on that very hill. A boy that had already managed to break something inside of me before I saw him at my usual spot where no one else ever came. And I figured that if this was for some reason connected to my many unanswered prayers then maybe this was the best I was gonna get.” She shrugged and she would have left it there but-

“Still you left me behind...” An awkward silence filled the clearing as Patton said what was on his mind before really thinking about it.

“I tend to push the people I care about away... or well... push myself away from them.” Veronica confessed and only Roman and Hecate knew the full extent of her confession. “I am sorry for running off without you, Blue... you know I am.”

“You can call me Patton.” Patton answered with a shy smile. 

“I don’t-“

“Yes you do! You... you’re good enough to know my name and use it. Roman told me how you used your last strength to save him from Deceit and you have helped me so many times! You deserve to know me and to be my friend, Veronica!” Patton said it with such conviction that Veronica almost believed it. It was enough for her to speak up again.

“Virgil...” She muttered.

“I’m sure you had no other choice...” That was so not what she meant when she had said Virgil. She had wanted to confess, but now they were talking about the illusion again and the words to correct Patton got stuck in Veronica’s throat. Before she knew it she had missed her window.

“You shouldn’t have done what you did, but in the end your actions have probably saved the lives of many. They have also freed a numerous amount of witches that have been forced to work for Deceit including Patton and yourself.” Logan said, further explaining why Veronica deserved to be there just as much as anyone else. Roman’s gaze remained neutral, but she could see that he agreed as well... probably also because he knew that Virgil wasn’t actually dead.

“Shit.” Logan’s words also reminded her of the camp that was currently waiting for their leader to return. She should probably disband it before someone else thinks about taking Deceit’s place. “I should probably go back to the camp to tell the witches there that they are free before they start another raid. It’s almost a full moon after all... ideal for changing rituals...” 

“Are you sure?” Patton asked a little fear sipping into his voice only from thinking about that place. 

“Yeah. It’s probably best if I get going now, actually.” Better get this over with quickly she thought.

“Will you come back?” Roman asked. His voice sounded strained with the effort to remain neutral, but for a different reason than Patton and Logan probably suspected.

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Veronica answered cryptically. She hoped that would assure Roman that she would and the relieved face Roman made told her that he either was one of the best actors ever, or he had understood her... Or he really didn’t want her to return but that was unlikely. Not impossible, but unlikely.

“Before you go Veronica, allow me to fulfill a wish in gratitude for saving my son.” Hecate broke the silence that had formed after Veronica had last spoken.

“Forgive me, but I can’t accept that.” Veronica answered. She couldn’t wish for something from a god. She isn’t crazy! 

“I insist.” Hecate insisted. (;P)

“So do I.” 

“This wish counts for all of the people here. I am not making an exception for you.” Hecate tried to convince Veronica. She really wanted to show her gratitude and this Umbra from a family of Lux was making it very difficult for her.

“This still isn’t making me feel any better about all this.” Veronica stated blankly, but not to long after that she got an idea. “unless... could we talk about my wish in private please?” She asked.

“But of course.” Hecate left the clearing, motioning for Veronica to follow her, which the Umbra did. 

They didn’t talk until they were out of hearing distance when Veronica finally told Hecate her wish. “My wish is that you pretend to have fulfilled my wish.”

“I don’t understand.” Hecate answered truthfully. She had no idea what Veronica was talking about. How could she pretend to have granted a wish if she didn’t even know what that wish was?

“I want to give something back to them, something they might think I would have to use my wish for... but I don’t have to... It’s complicated.” Veronica tried to explain and Hecate seemed to understand it as she nodded thoughtfully. 

“Please, if you don’t want to wish for anything, then accept my gift.” 

“What gift? I just told you that I didn’t want you to give me anything! I don’t deserve to-“ Veronica said fast and high pitched. 

“You do, V. You deserve this gift. And you can’t return it! I won’t give you a receipt!” Hecate smiled cupping Veronica’s cheek.

“Please I can’t accept-“ veronica almost begged.

“Too bad, I have already given it to you.” Hecate giggled retreating her arm.

“What? When? What did you do?” Veronica asked clearly panicked. 

Hecate opened her hand to show a coiled up two headed snake made out of shadows resting on the palm of her hand. Her palm lit up with magic and the creature faded into nothingness. “You’re officially free, V. that is my gift for saving my son. I will hereby also promise you to fight for your soul once the time is there, but only if you promise me something in return.”

“Promise you what?” Veronica asked a little suspicious as her hand went up to feel her now unbranded cheek. She was still weary of the gods, but so far, Roman’s mother seemed nice. That couldn’t last long, could it? 

“Promise me to look after my boys. They’re gonna need someone like you V. You might not believe it, but it’s true. Those three need you. Roman needs you. Promise me that you’ll look after them and protect them where I can’t.” The goddess looked pensive at the thought of not being able to be there when she was needed... aka yesterday.

“I promise.” Veronica finally returned Hecate’s smile from earlier. This was something she could do and if that would mean part of her soul could still be saved... well... there couldn’t be a downside to that right... unless something happened between Roman and her...

After Veronica left to free the people at the camp, and threaten them that if they ever tried to follow in Deceit’s footsteps she would hunt them down and personally stop them from ever using magic ever again aka she would kill them. The others at the clearing also got a wish fulfilled by Hecate. They had decided to do it the same way as Veronica had and wish for something in a one on one conversation, so everyone could be as honest as possible about the gift they believed they deserved, or not deserved, but still wanted to at least ask for. 

Remy wished that it would be easier for him to fall asleep, because he had been suffering from insomnia ever since Deceit had kidnapped Veronica, even though he would never admit that to anyone, and he was sick of being tired all the time. 

Patton wished the library would be restored to its former glory, because he didn’t want to wish for something for himself, but he could use his wish to help someone he loved. 

Logan wished for repairs to his library as well and when Hecate told him the library had already been repaired in another wish, Logan couldn’t stop a tear filled with joy and love from traveling down his cheek. He changed his wish so that the library would become a safe space for witches, both Lux and Umbra, where they could learn about their own and each other’s history. Logan wasn’t even sure where the idea had come from, but he was quite proud of his wish. Especially since it would help himself to learn more about his friends and help others as well. He hoped Patton would be proud of him too. 

Roman was last and clearly nervous about asking Hecate for a wish, even though she was his mother. He just wasn’t sure how she would react to his wish... and if it could even be done. 

“Do I get a wish for saving myself?” Roman asked jokingly, but there was tension behind his words. He made his way through the trees towards his mother and hugged her, before awkwardly sitting down on the grass in front of her. 

Hecate mirrored his movements before speaking up. “But of course you can. You have fought the strongest and evilest Umbra to ever roam this earth and you’ve won! I’m so proud of you my son. I’ll give you anything you want.”

“Anything?” Roman raised his eyebrow.

“Well I can’t promise you anything, because gods are bound to their word and I would like to keep the option to refuse, but... I’m sure I can give you what you want.” 

“I want... I wish- I mean I don’t even know if this is possible, but... I wish that Patton and Veronica will no longer be burned by Lux magic!” Roman managed to stutter out. He really hoped this was possible!

Hecate was stunned into silence. This wasn’t something she had expected Roman to wish for. Veronica or Patton maybe, but Roman? She had expected him to wish for a mythological creature as a pet or something... these events seem to have helped Roman grow up a little and these people really had changed her son for the better.

“I know it’s stupid and probably impossible since the Devil was the one to curse Umbra to burn so you couldn’t turn them into Lux anymore, but... I just don’t want to hurt my friends. I now know why Virgil was so scared of magic before and it absolutely terrifies me that it’s because I can hurt him- or her or whatever so easily!”

“Roman... you should know that I can’t undo another god’s curse.” Hecate explained to her son. “But... the Devil is not like the Greek gods, technically he is only an angel so even though it will be difficult and I definitely can’t help all Umbra, I think I can grand your wish for these two people that you love. Just don’t tell anyone out of your friend group, just to be sure.” 

“Thanks mom.” Roman jumped into his mothers arms and suddenly she was just his mom again, not some great goddess that people prayed too and all that. She was just mom. 

“You’re very welcome dear.” Hecate returned Roman’s hug. “Wish granted.” She mumbled in Roman’s ear and at that moment both Veronica and Patton felt something tingle all over their skin. Both were unsure what had caused it, but they would figure it out eventually. 

They didn’t talk about their wishes. It was almost as if they were afraid that they wouldn’t come true if they did. Logan and Patton couldn’t keep their wishes a secret for long though as when the group entered the village, the library had been rebuilt, complete with an extra wing for Logan’s new collection of books about witches and witchcraft. 

And so everyone build their lives back up. Roman once again had to live without Virgil, at least until Veronica would come back. It shouldn’t be that difficult, except it was, because now Roman knew that Virgil was alive he wanted to spend all his time with him. 

A few weeks later and it was Roman’s birthday. Roman, his parents, Patton, Logan and Logan’s parents were all sitting in Logan and Patton’s living room as their house was bigger than Roman’s. The party had been well underway with most of the cake already eaten and the glasses refilled many times when suddenly there was a knock on the door. 

“Roman, were you expecting anyone else?” Patton asked looking confused at his friend.

“No... I wasn’t...” Roman walked towards the door, ready to fire magic at any enemy who would be stupid enough to literally knock on his friends’ door. 

“Sup bitch.” Remy grinned as Roman opened the door. Roman hadn’t seen Remy since that day at the clearing with his mother, but that wasn’t the only person he hadn’t seen since then. He’d rather see the other twin honestly, but it was still a nice surprise if only Roman wouldn’t be so distracted. 

Roman’s mind couldn’t stay focused on Remy and his unusual, but very Remy, greeting, because behind Remy the shadows were moving around unnaturally and after a split second a very familiar silhouette formed and Roman couldn’t stop himself from barging past Remy and running towards the person that had emerged from the alleyway in front of Logan and Patton’s house.

“Bitch what the-?!”

By the time Remy had turned around he quickly realized that his gift of gracing Roman’s birthday with his presence wasn’t gonna cut it when that person was gonna be there too. Because there in Roman’s arms was a person who everyone until then had believed was dead, Virgil. 

“Her wish came true.” Hecate told nobody in particular. Looking out of the window she finally understood what Veronica had meant.

“Her wish? You mean Veronica’s? What did she wish for?” Patton asked. Curious why Veronica’s wish was suddenly mentioned out of nowhere.

“See for yourself.” Hecate smiled and gestured towards the open door, that Patton quickly walked towards.

First he saw Remy, which was nice, not that he really knew Remy that well, but Remy had risked his life for Roman, so it was good to see him again. Remy no matter how self centered he was, knew however that this wasn’t about him anymore so he quickly pointed towards Roman and Virgil further down the street. The sight got a lot of excited squeals from Patton before he ran back inside, grabbed a very confused Logan and ran outside to join the soon to be group hug. They were together again and this time nothing would tear them apart.


	27. what DO THEY WANT from ME?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phew this chapter took forever!
> 
> Anyway the gang is hiding something from Patton.   
> And whatever it is, it’s really making him anxious.

Virgil was a distraction. He knew that. It didn’t make him feel any less nervous though. He was currently sitting in Patton’s newly rebuilt cafe inside the library and he really wished that he’d had some nail polish so he would stop biting his thumbnail. Even though that probably wouldn’t be a good idea... what man would wear nail polish? No fuck that! He would totally rock nail polish! Nice black nail polish as black as his sou- ...oh. You know what... never mind. 

Virgil wasn’t even doing anything out of the ordinary! He was just with Patton, baking cookies, pretending that he didn’t already know the recipe by heart. That last thing wasn’t really a problem, as his nerves had already made him almost drop the bowl three times before Patton took over. 

Currently Patton was putting the cookies into the oven, after making sure the fire was burning at the right intensity. He was blissfully unaware of everything that made Virgil nervous, but he did know that something was wrong with his friend. Which is why he didn’t trust Virgil near open fire right now. The library had already burned down once, wouldn’t want it to happen again. 

“Virgil stop biting your nails. It’s not healthy.” He said upon turning around to see his friend clearly lost in a nervous habit.

“Neither is the amount of cookie dough we’ve consumed.” Virgil responded automatically.

“You sound like Lo.” Patton giggled as he sat down on the chair next to his friend.

Logan... right... exactly the person Virgil didn’t want to think about right now. “Sorry Pat.” He said, his mind clearly not completely there at the moment.

“Oh no, Virge! I don’t mind!” Patton quickly assured his friend. “It’s just... you seem a bit distracted today. Is something bothering you, kiddo?” Virgil huffed at the nickname. If only Patton knew that Virgil was quite a bit older than him.

“Just my regular unhealthy dose of anxiety.” Patton squeaked at worriedly at Virgil’s words.

“Virgil, we’ve talked about this. If something’s making you anxious you can always ask any of us for help!” He reassured the anxious man. 

“Yeah Pat, I know.” Virgil sighed.

“So what is it?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s making you feel extra anxious today?” Patton clarified as he tried to make eye contact with Virgil, but Virge did everything to avoid looking into those striking blue eyes, that now freely showed the black soul cracks, since they knew Patton was Umbra anyway. 

“Pat it’s nothing! I promise.” Virgil deflected, but Patton didn’t want to leave it there. 

“Is it because the last time we were here in the cafe, with just the two of us, I revealed to you that I was a witch working for Deceit by knocking you against the wall and holding you captive until Deceit dragged me away?” Virgil didn’t want to. He really didn’t. But when he heard Patton say the name Deceit, he could feel the shivers running down his spine. Of course Patton had to see it and take it the wrong way. 

“Oh Virgil! I’m so sorry! I can’t imagine how scary that must have been! And I’ve been so nonchalant about it too! I’m sorry! I didn’t want to! You know that right?” He apologized quickly, but sincere.

“No Pat, I’m okay! Please calm down.” Virgil had really fucked up now, hadn’t he? This was supposed to be a good day! Patton wasn’t supposed to feel anxious, or stressed, or guilty! Why was Virgil the distraction again? He really wasn’t good at this. 

While Virgil was lost in thought, Patton continued to apologize and explain his actions further. It took a little while for Virgil to catch up again, but when he did he was appalled by the way Patton talked about himself. It was just like Virgil was Veronica, talking to Blue at the top of a hill in the middle of the night, all over again.

“And I know you’re scared of magic and I’m not sure if that’s only Lux magic or just witches in general, but I know you trust Roman enough not to hurt you, but you probably don’t know if you can trust me- I would probably not even trust me if I were you! But I want you to trust me again! I want all of you to trust me again! And then I see you shake or I see Roman share an unreadable look towards Logan and Logan’s been avoiding me so he’s probably still scared too! I don’t want you to be-” Virgil had to cut him off, to stop Patton from spiraling. 

“We’re not scared of you Patton!” He yelled and maybe it sounded a bit angry and Virgil definitely hadn’t intended for it to sound that way, but he was anxious and he couldn’t take it back now, so he had to elaborate on his words quickly!

“I promise you. We’re not scared- I’m not scared of you. I could never be scared of you, Patton.” And that was very much the truth, not only because technically Virgil was a much stronger witch than Patton was, but also because it was Patton! Patton wouldn’t hurt a fly and he would cry if he did so accidentally! 

“Then why...?” Patton stuttered out. “Don’t lie to me, Virgil! You were literally shaking just a minute ago! I don’t like it when people lie to me... not after...” Patton trailed off, but Virgil didn’t need him to finish.

“Hey, Patton. I don’t know what he’s done to you.” After I left. “And it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, but I’m not lying to you when I say that I’m not scared of you and neither are Roman and Logan.” Virgil paused to gauge his fellow Umbra’s reaction to his words and to his glee, Patton seemed to have lightened up a little. The spark back into his eyes. “We trust you. A lot. Whatever you’re seeing, you’re probably reading too much into it. I know, because I often do the same thing.”

“You thinks so?” Patton asked hopefully 

“I know so!” Virgil stood up and hugged Patton to convince him of his point. 

“Ha you sound just like Ve- ...never mind.” Virgil guessed he wasn’t the only one who thought back to the bad old days. 

“Listen Pat. You’re my best friend!” Virgil let go of Patton, but retained eye contact. “And you helped save Roman’s life, which he is very thankful for! Oh and Logan is very much in love with you! So much so that he-“ Shit! Did Virgil think that he was bad at this already? Because he is really bad at this! How had Roman convinced him to do this again? Why was Roman always so good at getting Virgil to do things he wasn’t confident about? Magic, probably. Knowing Roman, and his family, Virgil wouldn’t be surprised if that man had some sort of charm casted over him without even knowing it.

“That he what?” Oh yeah right... Virgil was about to tell Patton something he shouldn’t tell him. Something he wasn’t allowed to tell him.

“You know what? I could finish that sentence, but I’m not going to say what I was originally going to say and I don’t want to be lying to you since you said you don’t want me to, so let’s just say that Logan loves you very much and let’s keep it to that.”

“Okay?” Patton didn’t sound convinced, but Virgil couldn’t afford to stay on this topic any longer.

“Let’s just finish the preparations for the picnic, okay?” Virgil pushed out of his mouth in a voice pitched so high that it almost sounded a bit too feminine to him, but luckily Patton seemed to have missed it. 

“Uh yeah, sure...” Patton agreed reluctantly. 

“We all love you, Patton” 

“Okay...” Patton wasn’t sure at the moment. At other moments he was! Really! But right now he felt weird. And the others acting weird wasn’t really helping either.

After finishing the sandwiches and getting the cookies out of the oven, Virgil and Patton were ready for the picnic, that was supposed to consist out of the four of them. However, when they arrived at the picnic spot, Roman quickly whisked Virgil away saying something about a family emergency that he needed Virgil’s opinion on, which left Logan and Patton alone on the blanket with a picnic basket between them. 

After a little smalltalk and a few kisses, Patton noticed that Logan was starting to get a little fidgety... Logan was never fidgety... unless- oh. 

“It is a beautiful day today, is it not?” Logan asked after the umpteenth time the conversation had died out. Patton was starting to feel like this conversation was going in circles. Logan would talk about the weather, Patton would try to change the topic, the conversation fell silent too fast and Logan started about the weather again. Patton felt like he was going to go crazy if he had to talk about the weather one more time.

“Logan, dear? That’s the third time you’ve asked me that today. Is everything okay?” Patton did his absolute best to not let the annoyance slip through his voice, but everyone had just been acting so weird today and it was really getting on his nerves. What had he done wrong? 

“Yes, of course. Should something be wrong.” Apparently there is Patton thought immediately, but he pushed those thoughts aside to give Logan a chance to explain himself.

“I don’t know? It’s just that lately... you’ve been a bit distant.” He said carefully. Patton didn’t want to just insinuate something, but...

“Yes, I may have been a little preoccupied lately.” What kind of answer was that? Definitely not one that calmed Patton’s nerves, that’s for sure! There was no stopping Patton’s anxious thoughts now. Logan was keeping something from him. The others were keeping something from him. And whatever it was it had something to do with him. 

“And earlier today Virgil was shaking on his chair like he was scared of something. And Roman has been looking at me funny, like he knew something I didn’t... like you all were hiding something from me. And that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, but after everything that happened I just... with everything else I... I-” Patton rambled, al his negative thoughts and feelings spewing out of his mouth like a dragon spewing fire. A fire that Logan knew how to extinguish with the use of logical thinking and years of training. 

“You jumped to a conclusion.” Logan interrupted him. Which made Patton look up at him with hope shining in his eyes. “Patton, I can’t say nothing has changed, but like we discussed earlier, I am not afraid of you, I am fairly certain that Roman is not afraid of you and Virgil has shown us many times that he is willing to look past his fear of magic in his relationship with Roman and I know he is doing the same for you. Even I can see that.” Patton eyes trailed down towards his hands that were now intertwined with Logan’s. “And you know why? Because you are the one who taught me to see people like that.” 

“Aww Logan. You normally never admit that easily that I can teach you things too!” Patton chuckled. Something that most people would probably see as a sign that the crisis was averted. Not Logan though. Logan knew Patton too well for that. Knew now that Patton’s past has had a huge influence in why he tends to hide all negative emotions and fears behind a smile. 

“Maybe I should do so more often, if you still feel like we don’t actually want you here.” Logan tried to be romantic, but that had never been his strong suit. 

“I mean, I would understand if you didn’t. I wouldn’t mind though! I could-” Logan sighed loudly before Patton could finish that sentence. Patton was going to say that he could always look for Veronica back at the camp... if she was still there... it had been a while by now. 

“Oh my, Roman already told me I would mess this up somehow...” Logan sounded exasperated and maybe even a little angry. Patton could impossibly know that the anger wasn’t directed at him though. 

“What do mean? Oh...” Patton realized it right there. How could he have been so stupid? He should have known the moments the weird looks had begun. He should have known when Virgil was keeping himself from telling Patton what Logan was about to say. He should have known, when even Logan, LOGAN, couldn’t keep a conversation going. He could have known. But he didn’t want to, no he couldn’t believe it before. That was probably his own fault, really. The signs had been there. Finally knowing it know however, wasn’t making him any less nervous about hearing those words come from Logan’s mouth. So he had to say it before Logan could. “You... you’re breaking up with me aren’t you?”

“What?! No! Patton why would I want you to know that we love you, that I love you, if I were breaking up with you?” Logan asked confused. He knew emotions still weren’t his strong suit, but he truly believed Patton was at least convinced of Logan’s love for him by now.

“You’re not letting me down easy?” Patton asked. Unsure of what to think of the situation if his friends hadn’t been preparing him for an inevitable break up.

“Oh Patton, no. No I am certainly not doing that.” Logan’s thumbs were brushing over Patton’s hands that were still entangled with his own. When that caused Patton to finally look Logan in the eyes again, Logan did his absolute best to keep those blue and black eyes connected to his own.

“Then what-?” Patton couldn’t even form complete sentences anymore. 

“I am actually trying to do quite the opposite.” Logan said sheepishly. 

“Letting me down the hard way?” Patton asked with tears in his eyes. That look would break the heart of everyone who would look into those eyes. A look that burned its way into your very soul and could haunt you in your sleep. Logan couldn’t do anything, but to try and make sure that he would never have to see that look on his boyfriend ever again.

“Patton.” He said with his voice firm and calculated. This wasn’t the speech he had prepared for this moment, and it definitely wasn’t the speech that he had planned when he had originally bought the ring, back when things were simple and witches were still something that was part of Roman’s world and not theirs. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You have taught me to trust my own judgement and to ask for help when I can’t do something on my own. But most importantly you have taught me trust and to love people that I haven’t known since my childhood, when I was more trusting in general. I loved and trusted you before I knew you were a witch and I still do. Consequently I wanted to ask you something back then and I still want to ask you that now.”

“What’s that?” Patton chuckled nervously, but no longer melancholy. 

“Patton, will you marry me?” If Logan were standing he would go down on one knee, but here they were sitting crosslegged facing each other, logan struggling to get one of his hands free from where they are holding Patton’s, so he could grab the ring box that had been hiding in a drawer for way to long now.

“Wha- oh my- yes! Yes! Yes! Of course! I... I...” Patton answered ecstatic, before falling quiet as he suddenly realized something. “They were in on this weren’t they.” He suddenly said calmly and dead serious. Before Logan could answer that those ‘they’ decided to show up. Revealing that they were never too far away in the first place. 

“You bet your a-“ Virgil felt a pinch of Lux magic against his arm, a warning from Roman to not continue that sentence. Virgil however, doesn’t like giving in that easily. Besides Roman’s magic doesn’t burn him anymore anyway so all it felt like was a static shock. He merrily continued his sentence, if not a little child proofed for Patton. “butt we were!” 

“Hehehe butt.” Patton giggled in that annoying minion way, not that the group knew of Minions, Disposable Me, or the concept of the moving picture. They did know bananas. And butts. And overalls, but then made from fabric not denim. Anyway where was I? Ah yes. Roman’s time to rake the spotlight. 

“Really Virgil? You have to ruin this wonderful romantic moment for them?” Roman tried to scold his boyfriend, but the teasing tone he talked with, made it not very effective. 

“Patton laughed!” Virgil argued, already laughing himself as well. 

“You two weren’t supposed to stick around and watch in the first place.” Logan scolded the two, but nobody really seemed to mind them showing up. 

“I am a man of Romance! It’s even in my name!” Roman proudly declared which gave Virgil a great chance to knock down that ego a few pecks. 

“I think you forgot the word ‘hopeless’ somewhere in there, Princey.” He teased as Roman reacted with the patented ‘offended Princey noises’ in mock offense. 

“Where were you two even hiding in the first place?” Logan asked, curious as to if he had really been so blinded by nerves that he had missed his friends hiding in, probably the shrubbery.

“The shadows.” Roman answered mysteriously, holding his hands open next to his face in a ‘spoooooooky’ fashion. This time it was Virgil who really wanted Roman to stop that sentence there. So he retaliated by making Roman trip over a shadow tendril hiding in the grass, so Patton and Logan wouldn’t see it, as Roman was walking towards the newly engaged couple.

“Believe me, I know the best hiding spots.” Virgil said with a wink before he rushed up to Roman to help him up and tug him back towards the town. “We’ll leave you two lovebirds to it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter?  
> Flashback: Logan background (AKA nerd baby)   
> Flashback: Veronica background (AKA angsty baby ft. D)  
> Continuation: Virgil teasing Remy (AKA double trouble)


End file.
